49ers game grades from disappointing, mistake-filled loss to Browns

The 49ers offense came to a screeching halt, their defense allowed too many yards, and the feel-good start to the season ended. Niner Noise hands out grades from the contest.

The San Francisco 49ers were riding roughshod over the rest of the NFL, dominating games and putting up points with ease.

But the Cleveland Browns had the No. 1 defense in the NFL, and their defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, has head coach Kyle Shanahan's number.

With all that said, the Browns were playing their third-string quarterback in P.J. Walker and had multiple key injuries along their offensive line. It was a game the 49ers should have dominated.

Dominate, they did not. The game started off well enough, with a Christian McCaffrey touchdown and then a Fred Warner interception. But, with the game already in the balance as early as the first quarter, the 49ers offense went backward, and then Jake Moody missed a 54-yard field goal. The Browns defense held, and that would be true for the rest of the game.

The rest of the game was an ugly array of botched passes, mediocre runs, and offensive inefficiency. The Browns, on the other hand, were able to move the ball effectively, but key penalties and missed plays capped their offense.

Everything came to a head in the third quarter. San Francisco's offense, still scuffling, had its first major misstep. Brock Purdy sailed a pass that was intercepted by Martin Emerson. The Browns kicked a field goal and took a 13-10 lead.

The 49ers offense continued to struggle, but an interception by Deommodore Lenoir gave them a short field they scored on. The Browns kicked a field goal to cut the lead to 17-16, and following a San Francisco 3-and-out, they had the ball driving with a chance to take the lead.

The 49ers defense got the Browns to fourth down, but a personal foul was called on Tashaun Gipson Sr., a bad call that gave Ceveland life. The Browns scored another field goal, giving the 49ers one final chance to take the lead.

Purdy drove the 49ers down the field, but Jake Moody pushed his 41-yard field-goal attempt wide right, and the Niners lost their first game of the year, 19-17.

It was an ugly, ugly game from all sides. Here are the grades.