SANTA CLARA — The 49ers like to invoke the football axiom of “defending every blade of grass.” Their defense is doing much more, however, when backed up to its own goal line.
Imagine an old man yammering, “GET OFF MY LAWN!”
Ji’Ayir Brown’s interception in the end zone Sunday, on first-and-goal from the 1-yard line, was the 49ers’ latest score-saving takeaway. He would later come away with another interception, at the 49ers’ 22-yard line, to springboard him to NFC Player of the Week honors on Wednesday.
Such clutch plays could be required again on Sunday, when the 49ers (8-4) try to win in Cleveland for the first time since 1984, which would snap just a four-game skid.
More than likely, the 49ers will have to pry the ball from two Browns rookies: quarterback Shedeur Sanders and running back Quinshon Judkins. Whereas Sanders got intercepted once in last Sunday’s victorious starting debut in Las Vegas, the Browns (3-8) have lost only three fumbles all season, with Judkins yet to fumble in 187 touches.
In the 49ers’ previous road game, Upton Stout forced a fumble at the 1-yard line in Arizona on Nov. 16. That football peacefully resided last week in Keion White’s locker as a memento from his first career takeaway.
“That’s a bend but don’t break mentality. All the defense has to have it,” White said. “It doesn’t matter how they got down there, you can’t let them score.”
Go back to Week 5 and you’ll recall Alfred Collins forcing and then recovering a fumble at the 1-yard line in Los Angeles, preserving the 49ers’ path to an overtime win over the Rams.
Even the season-opening win had a red zone hero: Nick Bosa, producing a last-minute strip sack and fumble recovery once the Seahawks reached the 9-yard line.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s explanation for those clutch takeaways: “It’s elite strain all the way through the whistle. … Those are the individuals who will strain all the way through no matter what the situation is, no matter what the down and distance is, no matter what the score is or where it’s at in the game.
“We’ve got a locker room full of individuals that are going to do everything they can to win every down.”
McCAFFREY BACK IN ACTION
Christian McCaffrey returned to practice Friday after resting the previous two days. This was the first week all season he’s been held out of consecutive practices, which coach Kyle Shanahan cited to Monday’s workload of 24 carries and seven receptions.
Although McCaffrey leads the NFL in carries (217) and scrimmage yards (1,581), he fell out of the top spot with 81 receptions once the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase raised his total Thursday to 86.
“I really want to win. That’s all I care about,” McCaffrey said Wednensday. “There’s not a statistic that matters after Week 13. It’s a long year, we have a lot of ball left. I don’t think it’s relevant right now.”
49ERS RULE OUT THREE
Defensive end Sam Okuayinonu won’t play because of last game’s high-ankle sprain, and out for a second straight game are linebacker Tatum Bethune (ankle) and kicker Eddy Piñeiro (hamstring).
While Curtis Robinson is poised to make his second straight start, the linebacker corps did add Eric Kendricks to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Matt Gay figures to get elevated from the practice squad a second straight game to fill in for Piñeiro. Gay has never kicked in Cleveland in his 101-game, seven-year career.
BROWNS INJURY REPORT
The Browns ruled out starting defensive end Alex Wright (quadriceps), along with defensive tackle Aiden Huntington (quadriceps) and tight end Brenden Bates (wrist). Backup running back Jerome Ford (hamstring) is questionable after not practicing on Thursday.