Published Nov 26, 11:09am ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Nov 26, 11:09am ET
Grok AI
Updated Nov 26, 11:09am ET
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| Cleveland Browns | +5 (-115) |
| San Francisco 49ers | -5 (-105) |
San Francisco's injuries and drama notwithstanding, they are in a good position to make the playoffs at 8-4. How they will fare if and when they get there largely hinges on whether their offense can cover for an injury-ravaged defense. That defense held down Bryce Young and the Panthers in their 20-9 win in Week 12.
Still, there were worrisome signs. QB Brock Purdy was picked off three times, two by Jaycee Horn.
This is just an insane play by Jaycee Horn
— Jared Smith (@jaredsmithbets) November 25, 2025
Pure ball instincts pic.twitter.com/M65ostH2iV
Christian McCaffrey ran for 89 yards on 24 carries and caught 7 balls for 53 yards, scoring 1 TD.
Off the field, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and the team are engaged in a dispute that is expected to end with the sides parting ways.
But a win in Cleveland and their Week 15 matchup with the Titans after a Week 14 bye puts them in a great position, though they are unlikely to catch the Rams in the NFC West.
San Francisco is ranked 26th in the NFL in both defensive passing yards and takeaway differential. The wild card here is Sanders. Can he take advantage of the 'Niners' compromised defense?
The Browns' defense is quite good despite the team's poor record, so Purdy cannot play as poorly as he did against the Panthers.
ALSO SEE: NFL: Bengals vs Ravens Injuries, Odds, & Picks, Week 13 (Nov 27)
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Eddy Pineiro, K | INJURED |
| Tatum Bethune, LB | INJURED |
| Sam Okuayinonu, DT | INJURED |
| Robert Beal Jr., DE | INJURED |
| Brandon Aiyuk, WR | INJURED |
| Fred Warner, LB | INJURED |
| Nick Bosa, DE | INJURED |
Starting QB Dillon Gabriel is out of concussion protocol and is available, but Sanders will start against the 49ers.
The drama surrounding Sanders has grown tiresome and has been discussed ad nauseam. Eventually, the truth about his plummeting draft status, who in the organization even wanted him, if head coach Kevin Stefanski is being pressured to play him, how Sanders has behaved behind the scenes, and myriad issues that could fill a book — will come out.
Right now, in an objective assessment of his play, he's been...ok.
Not great. Not terrible.
Ok.
The 66-yard TD pass to Dylan Sampson exemplifies the danger of attaching face value to statistics. On paper, without knowing how the play unfolded, it looks like a deep pass from Sanders to Sampson. In reality, it was a screen pass where Samspon knifed through the Raiders' atrocity of a defense to score on a long TD run that just happened to be a pass.
Shedeur Sanders' 66-yard TD pass was the longest completion by a rookie QB this season 🔥
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) November 24, 2025
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/X6A9zJJ2pQ
But the team won.
He didn't implode.
And while there are those mocking him, most rookie QBs who take an NFL field against an NFL defense play terribly.
Not to compare Sanders to John Elway, but simply as an example, Elway's first two NFL starts were horrific. He completed 10 of 29 passes in those two games. In fact, he was benched after Week 5 in favor of veteran Steve DeBerg and only got the job back when DeBerg separated his shoulder.
The Browns' defense is very good against both the pass and the run. They are +2 in takeaways. If Sanders repeats his performance in the win over the Raiders, they have a good chance of beating the 49ers. But the 'Niners' defense under Robert Saleh is far more intimidating than the Raiders' woeful defense.
Another notable tidbit is that Deshaun Watson accompanied the team to Las Vegas.
Myles Garrett leads the NFL in sacks and tackles for loss.
| PLAYER | STATUS |
|---|---|
| Alex Wright, DE | INJURED |
| Jamari Thrash, WR | INJURED |
| Adin Huntington, DE | INJURED |
| DeShaun Watson, QB | INJURED |
In Week 13, 49ers-Browns, the game is essential for the 49ers; it's more of a sideshow for the Browns. If Sanders is bad, he probably won't start again this season, barring injury.
Given their position in the conference, the 49ers could conceivably miss the playoffs if they stumble. Understandably, the focus will be on Sanders. In a sane world not dependent on clicks and content, the actual focus would be on whether the Browns' defense can hold down the 'Niners' offense, and Purdy is as bad as he was against Carolina.
The Browns will keep the game within 5 points and might even win outright, which would be a disaster for the 49ers.
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Pick
Cleveland Browns +5
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