The home schedule continues against the Cleveland Browns on 1968-11-03 at Kezar Stadium. The 49ers' offensive line continues to anchor the calendar's identity heading into Week 8.
The roster's lead back rotation and receiver room project the kind of game-script the staff has been working through. The Cleveland Browns arrive tracking their own divisional standing.[1]
The calendar's next matchup against the Cleveland Browns is the kind of home game where the offensive line has the matchup the coaching staff has been pointing toward all week. The Sunday's biggest unknown is the front rotation against the Cleveland Browns' offensive line. The week of preparation produced the kind of game-plan continuity the staff has been building toward.
Around the league Week 8 continues to shape the playoff race. The conference's projected leaders carry through the calendar with the kind of pace the wire copy has been writing into. The home matchup with the Cleveland Browns is the calendar's sense-check on the 49ers' divisional posture. The Sunday-night and Monday-night games close the week with their own playoff implications.
Through 7 games the 49ers are tracking the kind of pace that, in calendar 1968, defines the divisional posture. The lead back's rushing workload is the staff's projected call. The receiver room's distribution is the offense's signature. The Cleveland Browns are tracking their own standing. Vegas opens the lines accordingly. A figure to follow: the offensive line's pass-protection rate.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 6-1 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 5-2 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 3-4 | L2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-7 | L7 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 4-3 | W2 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 4-3 | W3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 3-4 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1-6 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Colts | 6-1 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 6-1 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 4-3 | W2 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1-6 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | 3-3-1 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 3-3-1 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 3-4 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 3-4 | L3 |
49ers 7, Cleveland Browns 349ers 14, Cleveland Browns 1649ers 14, Cleveland Browns 2649ers 21, Cleveland Browns 3349ers 21, Cleveland Browns 33[1]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | 3 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 316263333 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 714142121 |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Browns | Don Cockroft 18 yard field goal | 3-0 |
| 49ers | John David Crow 4 yard pass from John Brodie ( Dennis Patera kick) | 3-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Clifton McNeil 9 yard pass from John Brodie ( Dennis Patera kick) | 3-14 |
| Browns | Milt Morin 32 yard pass from Bill Nelsen ( Don Cockroft kick) | 10-14 |
| Browns | Don Cockroft 46 yard field goal | 13-14 |
| Browns | Don Cockroft 14 yard field goal | 16-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Browns | Leroy Kelly 2 yard rush ( Don Cockroft kick) | 23-14 |
| Browns | Don Cockroft 16 yard field goal | 26-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Browns | Milt Morin 15 yard pass from Bill Nelsen ( Don Cockroft kick) | 33-14 |
| 49ers | Bob Windsor 5 yard pass from John Brodie ( Dennis Patera kick) | 33-21 |
The 49ers' home effort ended in a 21-33 loss at home the Cleveland Browns on 1968-11-03. John Brodie went 23 of 37 for 241 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 39 on 13 carries. Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 92 with 1 touchdown. On the other side Bill Nelsen went 11 of 33 for 148 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Leroy Kelly ran for 174 on 27 carries with 1 touchdown.[1]
The 49ers lost 21-33 against the Cleveland Browns on 1968-11-03. John Brodie went 23 of 37 for 241 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 39 on 13 carries. Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 92 with 1 touchdown.
The Sunday's outcome maps to the kind of game-script the staff has been working through across the calendar's middle weeks. The offensive line's pocket time produced the dropbacks the playbook calls. The defensive unit's pressure produced the kind of takeaway the unit has been generating. The Sunday's outcome sets the next week's posture across the divisional standings.
The Cleveland Browns produced the kind of game-script the wire copy projected. The next-week matchup is the calendar's next sense-check on the 49ers' divisional pacing.
49ers 21, Cleveland Browns 33. Margin: minus 12. Box score reads: John Brodie went 23 of 37 for 241 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 39 on 13 carries. Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 92 with 1 touchdown. Dick Witcher caught 4 for 54. On the Cleveland Browns' side: Bill Nelsen went 11 of 33 for 148 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Leroy Kelly ran for 174 on 27 carries with 1 touchdown.
A 21-33 home loss to the Cleveland Browns. The 49ers' calendar continues to shape across the kind of game-script the staff has been projecting.
How it unfolded
John Brodie went 23 of 37 for 241 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Ken Willard ran for 39 on 13 carries. Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 92 with 1 touchdown. The Sunday's offensive output produced the kind of full-sixty pace the playbook has been working through. On the defensive side Bill Nelsen went 11 of 33 for 148 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions for the Cleveland Browns, and Leroy Kelly ran for 174 on 27 carries with 1 touchdown.
The turning point
The in-game adjustment that, in calendar 1968, decided the closing two quarters. The defensive front's pressure on the third-down dropbacks produced the kind of pass-rush volume the unit has been generating across the year. The receiver room's route distribution produced the kind of timing-route conversions the playbook calls.
By the numbers
John Brodie went 23 of 37 for 241 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The lead-back rotation: Ken Willard ran for 39 on 13 carries, plus Gary Lewis ran for 23 on 8 carries. Receiver room: Clifton McNeil caught 5 for 92 with 1 touchdown, and Dick Witcher caught 4 for 54.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| John Brodie | 23/37 | 241 | 3 | 2 | |
| CLE | |||||
| Bill Nelsen | 11/33 | 148 | 2 | 2 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Ken Willard | 13 | 39 | 0 | 11 |
| Gary Lewis | 8 | 23 | 0 | 19 |
| Bill Tucker | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Clem Daniels | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| John Brodie | 1 | -10 | 0 | -10 |
| CLE | ||||
| Leroy Kelly | 27 | 174 | 1 | 32 |
| Charlie Harraway | 9 | 37 | 0 | 9 |
| Charlie Leigh | 2 | 13 | 0 | 11 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Clifton McNeil | 5 | 92 | 1 | 37 |
| Dick Witcher | 4 | 54 | 0 | 16 |
| Ken Willard | 4 | 26 | 0 | 10 |
| Doug Cunningham | 2 | 25 | 0 | 16 |
| John David Crow | 3 | 23 | 1 | 16 |
| Bob Windsor | 2 | 18 | 1 | 13 |
| Bill Tucker | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| CLE | ||||
| Milt Morin | 6 | 71 | 2 | 32 |
| Paul Warfield | 4 | 63 | 0 | 27 |
| Eppie Barney | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1968 W8 - 49ers vs Cleveland Browns - Game Thread
