Tensions were high well before kickoff Sunday in Cleveland, as several 49ers and Browns players got into a skirmish on the field before the game started.
Following Cleveland's 19-17 victory, Browns defensive back Martin Emerson Jr. alluded to the pregame brouhaha providing extra motivation for him and his teammates.
"Don't poke the bear," Emerson Jr. said. "Don't poke the bear; don't get us started. We are a veteran, physical team. And we in the Dawg Pound -- you know we're going to defend our home turf."
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Defending their home turf is precisely what Emerson Jr. and the Browns' defense did, strangling San Francisco's high-octane offense and handing the 49ers their first loss of the season.
Cleveland held the 49ers to just 215 yards of total offense, which is the lowest yardage output in Kyle Shanahan's 104 games as head coach in the Bay.
Brock Purdy finished the day 12 of 27 for 125 yards and one touchdown while also throwing, with Emerson Jr. breaking Purdy's streak of 238 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception, which dated back to Week 17 of the 2022 season.
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After the game, Browns safety Juan Thornhill made it clear he was extra motivated by the perceived doubt surrounding Cleveland's chances to win a game where they were nearly a double-digit underdog at home.
"People say they don't see the stuff on social media," Thornhill said. "I'm going to be honest, I saw it. It pissed me off just seeing some of our fans not believing in us. And obviously, the 49ers thought they were going to come in here and walk all over us."
Through their first six possessions of the second half, Thornhill and the Browns held San Francisco to negative five yards of net offense, with the 49ers going three-and-out on four drives and turning the ball over on another.
It was a heroic effort from an undermanned Browns team that was without their starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, gifting the 49ers a humbling loss as they prepare to get into the heart of their schedule.
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