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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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The San Francisco 49ers extended their streak on Sunday with a 26-8 road victory over the Cleveland Browns that moved the 49ers up to 9-4 on the season and right near the top of the NFC West pecking order.
Brock Purdy, who missed multiple games earlier this year with a lingering toe problem, completed 16 of 29 for 168 yards, one passing touchdown, and a rushing score.
Christian McCaffrey ground out 53 rushing yards and the opening TD, while George Kittle chipped in four catches for 67 yards.
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Kittle reflected after the game on the adversity the team has faced and the challenges still to come.
"If people would have said, 'Hey, you guys are going to be 9-4 going into the bye, and you're not going to have Fred Warner or Nick Bosa, and Kittle's going to miss the first five weeks, and Brock (Purdy's) going to miss six, seven games,' I think a lot of people would have laughed at everybody."
"Kudos to our coaching staff, Coach (Kyle) Shanahan, (John) Lynch, for bringing in the right guys to fill in those spots, developing players to take advantage of those situations. I mean, it's fantastic. I think we're set up really well."
"Our message (going into the bye week) is just like, 'Hey, get away, do whatever you have to do. But just remember, when we come back, we have four incredibly difficult games that are going to hopefully set us up to do something fun.'"
Read More: Browns Star Defender Carted Off With Concerning Knee Injury Against 49ers
The 49ers have had to shuffle their rotations time and again this NFL season.
Defensive anchor Nick Bosa was lost to a torn ACL in September, while All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner suffered a season-ending fractured, dislocated ankle in October, and Kittle suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for five early games.
Add in Purdy's toe injury that cost him eight starts, and the laundry list looks alarming on paper.
Yet, Sunday’s outcome was another reminder of how dangerous the 49ers can be.
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San Francisco sits 9-4 with a Week 14 bye and a closing slate of Tennessee, at Indianapolis, vs. Chicago, and a flex matchup with Seattle.
Those games will determine whether the Niners secure a top-seed path or are forced into a tougher road through the NFC bracket.
For now, the 49ers are still very much in the playoff conversation, and they have proven they can win even without their best players.
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