A week after a walk-off touchdown in overtime sent the San Francisco 49ers home victorious, the offense was unable to find its rhythm and produce a second straight road win on Sunday afternoon in Northeast Ohio.
The 49ers totaled just 221 yards – their lowest total since Week 4 versus the Green Bay Packers – and fell to the Cleveland Browns, 24-10.
"It's a tough one, a tough pill to swallow," Blaine Gabbert said postgame. "The biggest thing was we didn't execute when we needed to.
"We didn't have 11 guys on the same page enough to win that football game and that starts with me at the quarterback position. I have to find a way to make a play, move the football and score touchdowns. I failed to do so today."
Gabbert, now 2-3 as the 49ers starting signal-caller, finished his afternoon 18-of-28 passing for 194 yards and a touchdown. He added 19 yards on the ground.
A chunk of Gabbert's production came late in the fourth quarter with the score out of reach. The 49ers strung together an eight-play, 94-yard touchdown drive capped by Gabbert connecting with Jerome Simpson for a 6-yard score.
"You have to give credit to the Browns," Gabbert said. "They came ready to play and we didn't.
"You have to look at the film to process what happened and just get back to the drawing board. There's no magical cure for this, we just have to go back, have a great week of practice and get ready for next week."
The biggest hindrance to San Francisco's offense were the nine sacks that the Browns amassed. In Gabbert's four previous starts, the quarterback was brought down a total of eight times.
The nine sacks on Sunday tied a franchise record for most allowed by the 49ers in a game.
"I have to find a way to get rid of the ball," Gabbert said. "When you take that many negative plays throughout a football game, it's tough, you're digging yourself a deep, deep hole. I just have to find answers quick and make sure we're all on the right page with communications."
Overall, Gabbert took 11 quarterback hits against the Browns. He told reporters that he felt fine health-wise. The 49ers will look to bounce back at home next week when they host the first-place Cincinnati Bengals.
"It starts with me up front. I have to do a better job," Gabbert said. "Plain and simple."
