The San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns will battle it out at 1 PM E.T. this Sunday, and it's clear both teams are amped and ready to go. With less than an hour until tipoff, the teams met at midfield for a not-so-friendly conversation.
Mixed up in the scuffle were Deebo Samuel, Trent Williams, Juan Thornhill, Brandon Ayiuk, and Elijah Moore, among others.
Browns and 49ers meet at midfield for scuffle before Sunday tipoff
The the (very high) vantage point provided by Cleveland.com, it would appear that several proper punches and hits were thrown. We will see if there is any league-mandated fallout, but as far as Sunday's game is concerned, this is a promising sign for each team's competitive spirit.
Upon inspection of a field-level angle, it would appear that Ayiuk and Samuel engaged in some light taunting before tempers flared.
San Francisco enters the game 5-0, one of only a couple undefeated teams remaining. The Browns are 2-2 and without the services of starting QB Deshaun Watson, who continues to deal with a lingering shoulder issue. Veteran P.J. Walker will get the nod at QB following a rough NFL debut from rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
It goes without saying that the Niners will be heavy favorites in this game, even on the road. Brock Purdy has yet to lose a healthy, complete game. The Browns' defense is formidable — Myles Garrett is arguably the AFC's DPOY frontrunner — but the Niners are even more dominant. Cleveland's offense is going to face a steep uphill climb to remain competitive in this game.
Thankfully, it would appear no injuries were suffered during Sunday's pregame scuffle. If anything, the Browns' hurt their competitive chances by "poking the bear," as Jimmy Johnson so eloquently puts it on the FOX broadcast. Don't do it! The Browns can't afford to let emotions get the better of them ahead of their toughest matchup of the season, especially with top weapons like Watson and Nick Chubb out of commission.
With the two sides broken up until game time, the Niners will hope to let their play do the talking from now on. Keep an eye out, however. It's not uncommon for bad blood to boil over mid-game.