NFL Week 8 Picks: 49ers Will Have No Trouble Covering Spread vs. Browns

If the San Francisco 49ers are able to pick up where they left off after their Week 7 bye, it might not be very long before they clinch the NFC West. All they have to do is keep winning.

Fortunately for the 49ers, they would seem to have a pretty easy matchup on their hands on Sunday with the Cleveland Browns coming to town. The Browns are 3-3 on the season, but it's a misleading record. The oddsmakers certainly aren't fooled, as the spread (per Sportsbook) has the 49ers favored by an even nine points.

Even at a brief glance, it's clear this is a matchup that does not favor the Browns. They do not play good offense, and they are going up against a very good defensive team.

I would feel better about Cleveland's chances if I knew it was going to be able to run the ball as well as it did last year, but that's a hard thing to know. Peyton Hillis has been largely ineffective this year, and he's currently battling hamstring issues.

The bright side for the Browns is that Hillis should be able to play against the 49ers, as ESPN reported on Wednesday that Hillis was finally able to return to practice. Barring any setbacks, you have to think the Madden 12 cover boy will be in the starting lineup on Sunday.

The problem is that Hillis will be going against the league's second-best rush defense. The 49ers are allowing just 74.7 rushing yards per game this season, and have yet to allow any running back to rush for more than 64 yards.

So, as usual, it's going to be up to Colt McCoy to move Cleveland's offense. I think he can do it, but he's not an Aaron Rodgers-type quarterback who can run an offense all by himself.

Credit where credit is due, the Browns aren't too shabby on defense in their own right. And because the 49ers are no prize offensively, you would think the Browns at least have a shot to keep it close.

It's possible, but it's hard to doubt Frank Gore given how well he's played in recent weeks. Gore has rushed for more than 100 yards in three straight games, and he has proven useful in wearing down defenses.

In addition, I'm looking for a bounce-back game from Alex Smith. He didn't play well when we last saw him in Week 6 against the Detroit Lions, but he was on a roll heading into that game. He had thrown five touchdowns and no picks in the two games preceding the 49ers' conquest of the Lions.

Smith is also not a Rodgers-type quarterback, but he has performed well this season in what has essentially been a more limited role in San Francisco's offense. If the 49ers can get back to that mold against the Browns, I don't think they're going to have any trouble winning it.

If they do, they will match their win total from 2010.

49ers 27, Browns 14