Rundown: Heading into Week 8 many predicted the effects from a BYE week the week before would show early on and slow down what came in a red-hot 49ers team. But once the game started that couldn't have been any further from the truth as they carried that momentum on into Sunday's game during the early going against a 3-3 Cleveland Browns squad. With San Francisco winning the coin-toss and differing, the 49ers defense did what it's done all season long -- forcing turnovers. On only the second play of the game the stingy 49er D would force and recover a fumble thanks to Ahmad Brooks. With a chance to capitalize on the turnover Alex Smith would waste no time to take advantage of the opportunity handing the ball off to running back Frank Gore who punched it into the end zone from 4 yards out.
With their Pro-Bowl caliber running back Peyton Hillis hampered with an injury the Browns running game was in for a world of hurt facing the number one run defense in the league. With limited damage being done on the ground Cleveland was forced to try their luck through the air with QB Colt McCoy. He too would struggle, however, throwing an interception fumbling the ball a total of four times on the day including three fumbles in the first half alone. Once again turning turnovers into points, Alex Smith found an untouched Michael Crabtree in the end zone following a David Akers field goal to give San Francisco a 17-0 lead. Having been shut down on offense for the most part, Cleveland would eventually get on the board before the end of the first half as kicker Phil Dawson split the uprights from 52-yards out to make it a 14-point game at the half.
The second half would be a microcosm of the first half on offense for the 49ers as neither team scored. With a decently productive first half it was almost as if Alex Smith and company had left their offense in the locker room. The Browns on the other hand would finally make some noise as McCoy found a hole for wide-out Joshua Cribbs who made it 17-10 with a 45-yard touchdown reception. The rest of the game would be all about Frank Gore. After compiling over a 100 yards in the first half alone, Gore would collect a few more yards to help him move along the latter of Niners all-time leading rushers as he surpassed Roger Craig for no. 2 on the list before finishing the game with a total of 134 rushing yards to go along with his touchdown. The impressive performance was also his fourth straight game with at least 125 yards and a touchdown.
Though he didn't have the biggest game through the air, Alex Smith did what he needed to and distributed the ball well amongst his team including a pass to not one, but two of his linemen as both Joe Staley and Isaac Sapoaga hauled in catches of 15+ yards. Kicker David Akers would make it a two possession game with a late field-goal to put the game away for good as the 49ers went on to route the Browns by a final score of 20-10. The win helped San Francisco improve to their best start since 1998 at 6-1 and increasing their lead in the division.
Week 9 Preview: In Week 9 the 49ers make a trip to the nations capital to face the 3-4 Washington Redskins.
Prediction: The 49ers roll on the road 24-10
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