The San Francisco 49ers faced a stiff challenge. The temperature was a chilly 30 degrees in Cleveland, and the gusty winds threatened to wreak havoc on Kyle Shananan's game plan. Then there was the Cleveland Browns' ferocious defense, led by superstar Myles Garrett, that Brock Purdy and Co. had to contend with.
The Niners rose to the occasion, emerging victorious by the score of 26-8, allowing them to hold their heads high heading into the bye week. This was an important game for the division chase, but it was also a game in which we saw some clear winners and losers.
These are the ones who stood out.
4 clear winners from 49ers' victory over Browns
Edge rusher Clelin Ferrell
The pass rush has been a concern all season, and John Lynch opted not to make a big splash at the trade deadline. Keion White was the only notable addition to the edge room, but sneakily, the Niners added Clelin Ferrell to the practice squad for his second tour in the Bay Area.
With four pressures, two sacks, and some nice plays in the run game, Ferrell put together a truly dominant performance. It's been a long time since the former fourth-overall pick looked this good in a game, but the dominant performance surely earned him some cache with Robert Saleh and should give him a healthy opportunity to prove his worth down the stretch as a potential cog in the 2026 defensive end room.
49ers offensive line (except Trent Williams)
With 43 sacks on the season, the Cleveland Browns rank second only to the Denver Broncos in dropping opposing quarterbacks to the turf. Garrett is the main event with a mind-boggling 19 sacks on the season, and he did get to Purdy once, beating Trent Williams for the sack.
But Garrett isn't the only threat the Browns' fierce defensive line presents. Maliek Collins is a force on the interior, a slew of others rotate through the end opposite of Garrett, and can bring the heat. Yet, Garrett's sack was the only time Purdy was brought down, and his average time to throw of 3.41 seconds was an elite mark.
Much-maligned 49ers special teams
Special teams has been a bugaboo all season. From Jake Moody's meltdowns to Eddy Piñeiro's injury to an assortment of gaffes and blunders in all facets, the specials have often made 49ers fans moan and groan.
With all that said, the special teams unit was instrumental in San Francisco securing the win. Skyy Moore had a huge 66-yard punt return. Matt Gay nailed all of his field goals and extra-point attempts. Darrell Luter Jr. corralled a fumble in punt coverage. Thomas Morestead consistently pinned Cleveland back deep.
Much of this win was due to field position, and the specialists were a big reason why.
Defensive end Keion White
Keion White came over as a player with a lot of potential and not a lot of production to show for it. He has the traits Saleh covets, but it's been a slow, somewhat steady adaptation since he defected from New England.
Sunday's matchup wasn't perfect (he missed a pair of tackles), but White came through with four pressures after just five the previous four weeks, and a sack, while also being credited with two stops in the run game.
We're not out of the woods yet here, but the showing was encouraging and a step in the right direction.
Unfortunately there were 2 Niners losers
Left tackle Trent Williams
After some early season hiccups, Williams flexed back into top tier form for much of the season. At the tender age of 37, Williams is an ageless wonder, but he had a tough task in front of him with Garrett.
While Garrett only notched one sack, Williams was routinely abused with four pressures and two QB hits also on his ledger for the day. Williams' 41.0 PFF pass-blocking grade was also his lowest mark of the season, by far.
Prime Williams would have been able to hang with Garrett. But now, in his advanced age, Williams is vulnerable against the game's elite. That could cause a problem, come playoff time.
Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall
Ricky Pearsall was an early season sensation, helping the offense through a hard time while awaiting Brandon Aiyuk's return, before succumbing to a PCL injury. A lot has changed since then. Aiyuk isn't coming back. Jauan Jennings has taken a step back at times, and Pearsall hasn't looked the same since he returned to the lineup.
Prior to Week 13's matchup, Pearsall had tallied just three receptions for 6 yards since returning from injury. The hope was that he just needed to knock off some rust, but it was very much more of the same with a two-catch, 14-yard performance in Cleveland.
Pearsall has the opportunity to convince the 49ers that he can be the go-to guy on the outside after the messy Aiyuk divorce is complete.
But if he doesn't show up soon, the second-year pro could find himself tumbling down the depth chart in the offseason.