I was wondering when the refs would snap out of it and get week 5 started.

I'm curious about what you X-and-O guys think it terms of how we might match up against SF.

big game, a loss doesn't hurt us badly but a win on MNF against an unbeaten team sends further notice.

I'm not convinced they're that good. They haven't beaten anybody worth talking about.

Nah, I don't think this game is nearly as important as last week.

I wasn't talking about its importance compared to week 4. Which I alluded to in my post.

Every win is a “statement win”, unless you’re playing a team attempting to tank. As long as the other team is trying, they could beat you and winning that game is important in a 16-game season. You know the old saying, “beat the teams you’re supposed to beat.” New England has done this so well with the other AFC East teams. Meaning, if we’re better on paper, “adult up” and beat them.

If you’re asking will the league take us more seriously after beating a 3-0 49ers team on MNF, then yes. Any win for us sends a message that the hype train was valid (so to speak).

We beat 2 bad teams. We have to beat a good team to get over the hump. I think we will. I think Freddie and Baker are figuring things out nicely.

I expect the Browns to win this game. Can't take take a step forward and then a step back.

Losing would be a major step backwards, in my opinion, with Seattle up next.

SF has had a favorable schedule.

Browns +3 and on the ML.

I don't know what a statement game is but this game is important because the next two are also difficult. If we can win one of the next three we will be in great shape. If we can win two of the next three we will be probably be the favorite for the third seed in the playoffs.

This.

While a win won't shock me, a "dominating" win would. Home field, plus coming off a bye week...those are hard things to overcome.

So I guess a "dominating" win would be a statement. And then the hype train will leave the station.

Playing a second straight game on the road is never easy ... couple that with SF coming off a bye ... that’s a tough task.

I think it’ll be a good game. We certainly can’t give them 6 TO’s like Pittsburgh did lol

In the past 10+ years, we seemed to manage losing a home game after a bye against an opponent on the road for two consecutive weeks, so why not SanFran too?

I guess I'm old school,, All games are important.

This is the kinda game that gives confidence to a team..-

Being on the road is the medicine this team needed. Mark it down. This game being on the road will have no impact on the outcome.

Freddie said something before the season and reiterated it again yesterday...when a team is faced with adversity they are either going to run away from each other or toward each other. This team could have easily folded this past Sunday. They didn't. I think they are running toward each other. I think being on the road brings a team even closer.

I expect the Browns to win this game.

Haha there’s no doubt about that ... but I’m not sure anyone can compare us from the last 20 years to any other viable franchise.

SF isn’t a juggernaut, but they’re a pretty good team IMO. I think we can win this (and probably easier than the Rams game)

I think this game is important as it helps define who we are. We have kind of been all over the place.

Laid a massive turd at home vs. Tenn who then looked bad the next two weeks.

Managed to dominated a bad Jets team on the road without looking very good.

Saddled with a decimated defense we hung with a pretty good Rams team. Who then laid an egg the next week.

Then on the road we made a statement by kicking a division rival's keester. While I see this as our toughest of the 6 divisional games (on the road v Balt) one does have to wonder how good Balt is. They have two wins, but against two of the worst teams in the NFL.

SF is rated highly. The are undefeated though they have not exactly been faced with a gauntlet so far. It is MNF, in SF and they are coming off a bye.

I think a Cleveland victory makes a statement. I think it shows the Tenn game was an exception.

IMO, the defensive game plans from the last two weeks have been nothing short of outstanding. I wonder if we hired a DC away from Hogwarts. I am really interested in seeing him go up against Shanny's offense.

A win with no injuries is statement enough for me.

I think like Balt, SF is overrated. They haven't played anyone. Pitt played about the worst game this season against them, and they could barely beat them.

I don't think a win against a team that is am middle of the road at best, is a statement game.

I do believe its a chance to PROVE we can be consistant, if we can continue to play like we did last week, though.

+10

I'm not sure it's a statement or pivot game but it matters because I think it's the one we're most able to win of the next 3. We could be anywhere between 2-5 and 4-3 after the next 3 gams. I think Pitt might be on to something with their young QB, might actually be able to win some and make AFCN a 3 team race. We're going to be seriously hurting in that race if we're 2-5 heading into the bye. In the long sense, we need this W.

I think this stretch of games can tell us if we can be legit post season contenders. Or given how bad Cincy, Pitt, and possibly overrated Bmore is... are we simply the least sucky of 4 sucky teams?

I don't think this is a 'Trap Game' since we aren't favorites ... But there are several factors that add to our challenge.

1. 49ers coming off a bye week and are a well coached team.
2. We are traveling West - about as far you have to travel for any Browns game.
3. We are coming off a high - a huge division game for 1st place in the AFC Nth and a game we needed to get our game under way. It's easy to come out flat after such a big game.
4. Over rated or otherwise - SF are a good team. I've seen them ranked as high as 7 in the NFL, which migh be too high .... but they are no push over.

I think the performance will reflect on Freddie - we need to be up for this challenge. I actually think we will win because Freddie's attitude after games seems to be all about immediately looking to win the next game ... and I am assuming we see more of the same play calling from game 4 and less of what we saw in Games 1, 2 and 3.

I like that Wilkes has familiarity with them as he coached against them twice last year. Division rivals and all. Can’t hurt our chances.

Nope. We are leading the division and have a tiebreaker going for us. I really want to see us come into this one pumped and focused. Hope the rookie LBs can get after it hard. We may have more firepower on O this week. Let us remember: Sas Fran has more to get ready for with our film than they did the first three weeks.

We can play too.

They're all statement games when you're attempting to climb out of the cesspool.

I say yes. The win at Baltimore opened peoples eyes. It also IMO showed the players what they are capable of. We are .500 and only leading by a !/2 game.We lose and Baltimore wins, then it's uphill again. We win and we are guaranteed to hold our lead in the division. Going home at 3-2 and having to face Seattle and NE leaves us some breathing room. If we are 2-3, two potential losses can really muck things up.

In my eyes all three of our next games need to be statement games. If we can come out of this stretch with a winning record, the second half of the schedule could be a glide to the playoffs.

When you play a sixteen game schedule all games are big.

No matter who you play; you have to play well. That is just the way it is. The Bucs beat the Rams.

I don't underestimate any team. Not big on all the game hype like "they don't like each other" etc.

When you play a division game it is more important because of tie breakers and winning the division is the first goal.

The prime time games get more exposure but you play to win that is all.

Except when you play the Dolphins

Haha, no I agree with you ... each game is its own important entity

It's week 5...we are currently tied with Baltimore, yet ahead due to beating a div opponent. This is important to stay ahead of Baltimore and keep distance. It's important because it's on National TV. It's important because we need to string together a run of wins and get this a well oiled machine.

The next 3 games are important.

This is possibly the most important stretch of games on the schedule...

All 3 teams are very well coached teams
All 3 teams are teams that aren't missing significant pieces
All 3 teams are teams are playoff contenders.

If there is a time to show up and look like the playoff contender that this team is. Nows the time to do it.

I'm kind of worried, since they are coming off a win and they have to travel to the west coast. That said, it's different because it's not a Sunday game.

There is a very good chance they come out and look flat.

That's my most significant worry. not so much if they win or lose these games. But more if they are competitive through the stretch.

The next 8 after that are all winnable but difficult games as well.. how many they win here shows how important the rest of the schedule is though.

One big step to becoming a good team is dealing with success. We’re going to find out this week if we’ve taken that step (or starting to at least)

I don't care that it is MNF...I hate MNF. I don't care about making a statement. I don't care what other people think about my team.

Just win the game. That is all I care about.

Just find a way to win another road game ...

lamp , at the end of the season we will probably make or miss the playoffs by one game so every game is important. The fact that they are undefeated and it is mnf makes it an opportunity to show our stuff to the world. I hope we play well!!

All games are important yes, but beating a 4-0 team is a statement game. Beating an 0-4 team is not a statement game.

Exactly.

It is when you're not that far removed from 1-31 and you've had mountains of expectations heaped upon you.

Like it or not, every game is a statement game, even if you aren't the one putting the words in the statement (that's what the media will do).

Picking nits, but SF is 3-0. They are coming off a bye week.

I would certainly have to agree that beating good teams make statement, where beating weak teams is expected.

I don't quite feel the same as last week. The monkey (several, actually) came off our back when beat up on the Ravens. Also, it was a division win against a team that would've otherwise started pulling away in the standings.

Now I'm not saying that this Monday game should be treated like preseason, but I'm feeling much less stress going into this one.

I’ve missed eotab’s input. Hope all is well with him.

My favorite hype video. It makes me tear up.

Lets not see this on Monday.

How the 49ers defense can stop Baker.
https://www.ninersnation.com/2019/10/4/20898690/how-the-49ers-defense-can-stop-baker-mayfield

Answer Run Chubb and hit quick slants

The video is actually saying how it's designed to take away quick routes.

The best way to beat it is for Baker to stay calm in the pocket. He did it vs the Ravens so hopefully he's learned and can do it again to torch the 9ers.

If Baker will just step up in the pocket, his whole game is going to take off. Step up, even if it means taking an occasional sack. He needs to train his mind and body to always be doing this.

He did a pretty good job of it last week. Early in the game I watched him actually fight the urge to break and run. By the end of the first qtr, he was pretty settled, and it payed off.

I was worried in the first two games that scrambling was becoming a habit. I think he's worked on that, and last week wasn't an anomaly.

I also think the O line has looked better the past couple weeks, which has probably helped to keep him from being too skittish.

.02

Yeah, and stepping up doesn't mean you can't still be elusive and scramble.

Just look at Wilson and Mahomes. They evade tons of tackles but stay in the pocket and stand tall so they can make throws to anywhere on the field.

Baker clearly wants to be Favre with the constant rollouts, but with the increased speed of defenders and the protections for QBs it's just so much less efficient to do that now. Hopefully he can learn to pick and choose his spots. I think he will.

My google effort went awry, when was the last time the Browns started 3-0 on the road?

That would be a statement

If you were smart enough to notice the Ravens game last week,(which you probably weren't) Baker finally started stepping up in the pocket MULTIPLE times.

I want him to step up better than he has, and last game went much better. I have favored rolling the pocket some as well; I think he is mobile enough.

Not every play is worth extending which can also invite penalties. I was really concerned that he was always flushing to his right.

Always.

I feel the key play was when we ran Shanahan off a few years ago.
No one play decided this game. We were out coached from the beginning to the end.

I don't remember us running him off. He simply went on to further his career with a better team...so he can get that HC position soon after.