Browns may get some extra help from the weather against the 49ers

The Cleveland Browns may have a key advantage over the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday’s meeting in downtown Cleveland.

Sure, the Browns have defensive end Myles Garrett, well on his way toward the NFL record for sacks, and the 49ers do not.

The Browns also have a rookie class that continues to make big plays on a weekly basis.

Cleveland also has quarterback Shedeur Sanders making his first career start in front of the home fans, which should inject some electricity into the soon-to-be-defunct Huntington Bank Field.

But the biggest advantage may be one that the Browns will no longer have once they make the move to their shiny new dome stadium in 2029 – the weather.

Sunday’s forecast is calling for cold (33 degrees) and windy (25 mph winds) conditions, all those things that some claim make football on the shores of Lake Erie something special.

It could also spell trouble for San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, who has not exactly been successful when playing in less-than-ideal conditions.

In four career games in the rain, Purdy has posted a passer rating of 64.8, and his EPA per pass attempt is -0.30. By comparison, Purdy has a passer rating of 105.1 and an EPA of 0.22 when he plays in fairer weather, according to The Athletic.

The 49ers are 1-3 in those games, which is a small sample size, but Purdy’s drop off in performance is still pretty significant, especially when compared to his peers, according to The Athletic:

Still, the difference between rain and no rain for all quarterbacks is not as pronounced as it is for Purdy. Since he entered the league in 2022, qualified passers have 0.05 EPA per dropback as well as a 93.6 passer rating when it’s clear, sunny, or cloudy, per TruMedia. That falls to minus-0.05 EPA per dropback and an 84.7 passer rating when it’s rainy.

Purdy also has the smallest hands of the four quarterbacks on San Francisco’s roster, which could contribute to his struggles when dealing with a wet football.

The combination of rain and wind on Sunday could give the Browns an edge if Purdy’s past performances are any indication.

Given how the season has gone so far, the Browns will gladly take any advantage they can find as they look to pick up their fourth win of the season.