Cleveland Browns vs. San Francisco 49ers: Preview and Prediction

Since Week 1, when right tackle Jack Conklin went down with a season ending injury, the injury bug has methodically slithered around the Cleveland Browns locker room.

Ahead of Week 6, it's extracted it's heaviest toll so far, as the Browns offense will be without quarterback Deshaun Watson, left guard Joel Bitonio and tight end David Njoku. Those absences make what was already a tall task, beating a juggernaut San Francisco 49ers team that ranks top two scoring offense and defense in the league, an even loftier one.

That said, the Browns boast a dominant defense of their own that can realistically keep them in any game. And frankly, it is football, so anything can happen.

Without further ado, here are the official Browns Digest Staff Predictions for Browns-49ers:

Anthony Moeglin: 49ers 16, Browns 10

The media circus that followed the Browns this week has clouded the chess match that will take place between Kyle Shanahan and Jim Schwartz. Historically, Schwartz has been able to slow down Kyle and his high-powered offenses, and Sunday will be no different.

The Browns will struggle to get much going on offense, but they will be close all game. A late turnover will close the book on this one moving the 49ers to 6-0 and the Browns will have their backs against the wall at 2-3.

Anthony Poisal: 49ers 27, Browns 6

The Browns defense is good enough to keep things close for most of the game, but can anyone envision a way for a P.J. Walker-led and Nick Chubb-less offense (oh, they’ll also be without Joel Bitonio) to move the ball against the 49ers?

Sustained drives will be a rarity, which means the defense will be on the field a lot and will feel fatigue in the second half. That’s when I think the 49ers find a way to win comfortably again — they’ve won by 15 or more points in all but one game.

Brendan Gulick: 49ers 27 , Browns 10

Before the year started, this was one of my favorite game's on Cleveland's schedule for the year. A matchup against a team expected to be great should be a fun test for the Browns, given that by Week 6 they'd have a chance to be in a really good rhythm.

Well, it hasn't worked out quite the way we hoped. I think this will be a lower scoring game, I expect the Browns defense to slow down the 49ers running game and I think they'll put some pressure ono Brock Purdy, but I don't have a ton of faith in Walker to lead the team to a big offensive output. I hope I'm wrong!

Spencer German: 49ers 24, Browns 10

This game was always going to be an uphill battle for the Browns, even if Deshaun Watson was playing. San Francisco is an absolute WAGON, on both sides of the ball. Simply cutting off Kyle Shanahan's group at 24 points feels disrespectful enough to be considered bulletin board material, considering they've scored 30-plus in every game this season.

However, the one thing giving me pause is Shanahan's 1-8 record against Jim Schwartz defense. That's not a fluke to me. Schwartz has clearly found ways to make life difficult for the Shanahan offense and he has a defense that could do it again.

It will take Schwartz' defense mucking up the game, and keeping it close for the Browns to have any shot in this one. I think for a while they will, but San Francisco will pull away in the second half.