Getty Grant Delpit, Browns safety
On paper, the San Francisco 49ers enter Sunday’s game in Cleveland to play the Browns and star safety Grant Delpit as prohibitive favorites. Cleveland is just 2-2 on the season, and the 49ers are 5-0, coming off a 42-10 walloping of the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. The Browns are a mediocre team that will be without quarterback DeShaun Watson in Week 6, while the 49ers are pretty much at full health and have looked the part of the NFL’s top dog.
Lopsided? Nah. From the perspective of Delpit, at least, the Browns have the 49ers right where they want them.
From Delpit’s post-practice session on Thursday, a reporter mentioned to him that there is, “this general sense of you guys have no chance.”
“Who said that?” Delpit wanted to know. Told it was no one in particular, Delpit said, “I haven’t heard that one.”
He went on: “They got to come see us at the end of the day. They’re coming to our house, man. Like I’ve said before, they’re a great team right now. Quarterback is playing probably the best in the league, and the scheme fits him. They have a great defense. Like I said, man, they’re riding their high horse right now. That’s probably the best time to get them.”
49ers Have Reason to be on ‘High Horse’
Indeed, the 49ers enter Week 6 dominating statistically across the board, with the No. 2 scoring offense in the NFL (33.4 points) and the No. 3 offense by total yardage, at 402.6 per game. Their quarterback, Brock Purdy, is second in the NFL in completion percentage (72.1), seventh in touchdowns (nine) and first in interceptions (0). He is tops in the NFL with a 123.1 quarterback rating.
As a safety (and one of the best in the NFL at that), Delpit will take special notice of that. The Browns have struggled offensively all season, but they’ve been the No. 1 defensive team in terms of passing yardage allowed all year—just 500 through four games. The Browns are No. 2 in the league in sack percentage (10.17%) and will look to pressure Purdy as much as possible.
“He takes care of the ball, takes care of the ball, he makes good decisions,” Delpit said. “He finds his playmakers. They have plays drawn up for him. That’s nice reads for him and he makes the read. So he’s been doing that so far. Hopefully, we cause a little problem for him.”
Browns Will Be Without Deshaun Watson
The Browns defense just might be good enough to give the 49ers a little problem, but the issue for Cleveland is on the other side of the ball, where the 49ers D is just about as dominant as the 49ers O.
San Francisco has given up 68 points, which leads the NFL, and has allowed 1,334 yards through five game, which is third. The Browns have struggled to get Watson integrated with the team when he is healthy, but he has not been healthy lately and will sit out against the 49ers.
That means the 49ers will get diminutive P.J. Walker, a career backup with a 4-3 record as a starter, under center in Cleveland.
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‘High Horse’ 49ers Warned by Browns Star Grant Delpit