Nothing is pretty in Cleveland in the winter.

Least of all the football.

But Cleveland’s nasty weather and even nastier defense didn’t faze the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

It was the perfect setup for a trap game. A short week. A holiday hangover. A roster looking ahead to a desperate, long-awaited bye week. It had “no-fun letdown” written in neon letters across the script.

The Niners didn’t care. They just went out and turned in one of their sharpest, most professional performances of a season that has been nothing short of a surprise party.

The 49ers weren’t flashy in their 26-8 win over the Browns. They weren’t particularly exciting.

But a ninth win is a ninth win.

And in this league, a ninth win before December doesn’t just loom large. It casts a shadow over the entire confer

See Full Page