NFL Monday Night Football preview: Browns vs. 49ers

It’s amazing how quickly the pendulum can wing in the NFL. A week ago the Browns were a colossal disappointment with an offense that was missing in action. After they dismantled division rival Baltimore, however, Cleveland is once again being mentioned as a contender in the AFC.

Now they are back on Monday Night Football and will travel to face the last remaining undefeated team in the NFC—San Francisco. So which side should we place our money on?

Has Cleveland's offense turned a corner?

He hasn’t gotten off to a great start this season, but I never need much convincing to place my money on Baker Mayfield. His numbers—59% completion rate, 2-3 touchdown-interception ratio and 12 sacks—don't wow you, but there are some signs that this offense is turning the corner.

Nick Chubb and the run game took off in Baltimore, to the tune of 165 yards and three touchdowns. In last week’s big win, Odell Beckham Jr. had only two catches for 20 yards, but Jarvis Landry and and tight end Ricky Seals-Jones made plays in the passing game. This week Landry is in concussion protocol, but even if he doesn’t play Monday, the Browns can look forward to getting some other weapons back. Wideout Rashard Higgins has been a limited participant in practice and Antonio Callaway has served his four-game suspension.

Browns defense has been impressive

Defensively the Browns have been banged up in the secondary, but you wouldn’t know it from watching the product on the field. Both starting cornerbacks, Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams, have been nursing hamstring injuries ,while safeties Morgan Burnett and Sheldrick Redwine have been limited. Reserves Jermaine Whitehead and T.J. Carrie have stepped in and combined for 26 tackles, four pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Two other defenders who have really answered the bell in 2019 are defensive Myles Garrett and linebacker Joe Schobert. Garrett has lived up to his No. 1 draft pick status with six sacks through the first four games, while Schobert has been a tackling machine, with 43 on the season, including 16 in last week’s crucial win.

San Francisco's OL has stepped up

It's still early in the season, but the 49ers have had the best offensive line in the league. They have only allowed quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to be sacked twice in three games and have made previously anonymous running backs Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert into efficient weapons. San Francisco will miss left tackle Joe Staley for the second straight game, and that could be a problem facing Garrett.

49ers D has led the way

The 49ers’ defense has been stellar so far, and most would attribute its success to the defensive line, which has yet to allow a rushing touchdown in three games. A key for this defense Monday night will be replacing Ahkello Witherspoon in the secondary. In the first three games of the season, the cornerback had 5 pass breakups and an interception returned for a touchdown. The aging veteran Richard Sherman will have to play marvelously in Witherspoon’s absence and will need to galvanize others in the secondary to hold down Cleveland's talented receivers.

This intriguing game has me liking the points. I generally don’t like teams traveling across the country and I don't like playing teams after an overreaction week. However, we are now reaching the point in the season where the Browns should be gaining strength. The 49ers have been excellent, but I wonder if some of that excellence is the product of their schedule.

Free pick: Cleveland (+4)

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