49ers - Browns: Wrapping up with a flourish

And so we're heading into the final weekend of the season.  It was a rough season until Shaun Hill took the helm and guided the 49ers to back-to-back wins.  It doesn't get rid of the sting of underachieving and not making the playoffs, or even improving a little bit from last season.  Nonetheless, the 49ers can end the season in style this Sunday.  As the Browns do not control their own destiny, a win over the 49ers is next to meaningless.  However, if the Titans were to tie, the Browns would need to win to get in the playoffs.  So I'd expect the Browns would give it their all...at least I hope so.

In the meantime, I posted my Defining Moment prediction for the week.  It's pretty straight forward actually: The 49ers end the season with a solid win behind quality performances from Shaun Hill and Frank Gore.  Head on over when you get a chance to vote for the moment.  We finished second last week with 42 votes.  Definitely a nice little total (first was 51 votes).  Like the 49ers, let's finish off the season with a floury.

In the meantime, I thought I'd take a look at what Scouts Inc has to say about the game.  The Browns have been quite the surprise this season and I personally am rooting for a Tennesee Titans loss, so that when the 49ers beat the Browns, they can still get in the playoffs.

I'm certainly curious to see what Hill can do this week against another Tampa-2 style defense.  The Browns certainly won't need to worry about the deep conversion from Shaun Hill.  The 49ers have played to Hill's strengths with quick, short passes.  The touchdowns he's thrown have all been on patterns of which Hill can take advantage.  Slants to DJack and The Disease; a dumpoff to Gore who turned a short gain into a nice TD reception; The pass to Davis over the middle when he was one-on-one with a slower linebacker.  They're not expecting Hill to drop a pass 45 yards through the air right into the arms of a streaking Darrell Jackson.  If the 49ers continue to do this, Hill will continue to be successful.

Hill's success has coincided with the 49ers offensive line performing better AND Frank Gore having two of his better performances of the year.  Coincidence?  I think not.  If the 49ers can establish Gore, it will certainly create openings in the passing game for Hill to pick apart.

I can't wait to see Clements match up with Braylon Edwards.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Edwards make a few catches to get upwards of 60 or 70 yards, but I think the 49ers will keep him out of the end zone.  The 49ers playmakers on defense have stepped up recently and I look forward to it again.

Jamal Lewis has seen a rebirth passing 1,100 yards with 9 touchdowns.  I certainly can't wait to see him get a face-to-face introduction with Bam Bam.  Lewis has lost a step due to all his surgeries, and I'd expect Patrick Willis to have a couple phenomenal tackles behind the line of scrimmage this Sunday.

To close on a different note, don't forget to vote for Patrick Willis for Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week.  And of course, don't forget to vote for my Defining Moment prediction.