As bad as the three-win Cleveland Browns have been this season, they have an elite defense.
Like, the No. 2 best scoring defense heading into Week 12's showdown against the San Francisco 49ers.
Easily the biggest reason why Cleveland's defense is so good is perennial All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett, whose NFL-best 18 sacks are threatening the single-season sack record of 22.5, held jointly by pass-rushing legends, Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt.
Unless Niners right tackle Colton McKivitz has an outstanding effort on Sunday, it's likely Garrett gets closer to breaking that record once Week 12 is in the books.
McKivitz might not command a lot of deserved respect from San Francisco's fanbase, frequently viewed as a weaker link of an embattled offensive line. Yet he's a case of prior reputation clouding current reality.
Yet that reality will be tested in full on Sunday.
Colton McKivitz is in for massive test vs. Browns' Myles Garrett
Garrett can line up on either side of the Browns' front four, but a defense's best outside pass-rusher usually finds himself lining up opposite the weaker of an opponent's two tackles. With perennial All-Pro Trent Williams on the 49ers' left side, that leaves McKivitz as the default blocker to negate Garrett.
Yet it's not as big a mismatch as one might think.
According to Pro Football Focus, McKivitz has been responsible for just three sacks on the season (the same number as Williams) and only 12 quarterback hurries, meaning the duo of Brock Purdy and Mac Jones have experienced an average of only one pass-rushing chase from McKivitz's side per game entering Sunday's contest.
That said, the Niners would be wise not to leave McKivitz out there on his own to handle an all-world kind of player.
To keep Purdy upright, San Francisco will likely aid McKivitz in several ways, putting in extra blockers to either chip or slow Garrett down with regularity, even if it comes at the expense of slowing down any offensive routes. There'll likely be some effort in double-teaming Garrett, too, forcing Cleveland's other pass-rushing threats to impact the game instead of the All-Pro taking it over.
That might not be as easy as prescribed, though, especially with defensive tackle Maliek Collins boasting 6.5 sacks of his own while taking full advantage of previous teams' attempts to limit Garrett's impact.
Either way, McKivitz's success or failure will go a long way toward determing the outcome of Sunday's tilt between the 49ers and Browns on Nov. 30 at 1 p.m. ET.