49ers overlook Browns, are overmatched in 24-10 loss

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CLEVELAND — The locals call FirstEnergy Stadium “The Factory of Sadness,” a nod to the fact that it has been the home to eight head coaches and has not hosted a playoff game in its 16-year history.

On Sunday, the hardened fans probably thought the visiting team looked eerily familiar: The 49ers did a spotless impression of FirstEnergy’s tenants, the bumbling Browns.

In another lifeless performance away from home, the 49ers lost 24-10 to Cleveland, which entered with a 2-10 record, had lost 15 of its past 17 and hadn’t won since Oct. 11.

The Browns had been so bad, in fact, that they made a 4-8 team with a 1-5 road record overconfident. Yes, that’s correct: The going-nowhere 49ers expected to waltz into town and become the latest to wallop the Browns.

“We can’t take anyone lightly,” left tackle Joe Staley said. “We’re not in a position to take anyone lightly. We’ve got to take one week at a time and come in and not give a crap about records. We’re not in a position — we haven’t done anything. We’ve got to play our ass off every single week. And today, we didn’t do that.”

It was a sentiment echoed by outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who thought the 49ers might have been strutting too much after an overtime win at Chicago in their previous game. On Sunday, however, the 49ers clearly failed to pack their intensity, among other essentials: With 3:22 left, the 49ers trailed 24-3 and had been outgained 484-142 by the Browns, who had 17 more first downs (28-11).

“Maybe we took them for granted,” Brooks said. “Maybe we took them lightly. Them having the record that they had coming into today’s game — maybe we did take them a little light. By us getting a win last week, maybe we got a little big-headed this week and thought that things were just going to happen. But we won last week because everybody played hard.”

On Sunday, however, the 49ers were outplayed by a team that took over the trenches, an area where it had been bullied all season.

Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane) less Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Cleveland. (AP ... more Photo: Ron Schwane, Associated Press Photo: Ron Schwane, Associated Press Image 1 of / 22 Caption Close 49ers overlook Browns, are overmatched in 24-10 loss 1 / 22 Back to Gallery

The Browns arrived with the 32nd-ranked rushing attack in the NFL (73.9 yards per game), hadn’t had a run longer than 32 yards and hadn’t had a running back rush for a touchdown since Week 2. On Sunday, the Browns rushed for a season-high 230 yards (114 more than their previous best) and averaged 5.6 yards a carry. The ground game was led by Isaiah Crowell (career-high 145 yards), a 2014 undrafted free agent who had runs of 54 and 50 yards and scored twice.

“I think they just had us on our” heels, Brooks said. “They were able to do whatever they wanted to do on us today. In professional football, it’s a chess game. I think they were a step ahead.”

Meanwhile, the Browns’ defensive line stepped all over quarterback Blaine Gabbert. The 49ers allowed nine sacks — the most in the NFL this season — against a unit that had the third fewest (17) in the league. The nine sacks matched the most the 49ers have surrendered since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Their inability to protect Gabbert helps explain why they scored three points in the first 58 minutes against a team that had surrendered the second-most points in the league.

Embarrassing?

“Definitely,” wide receiver Anquan Boldin said. “I mean, especially when it’s a team you know you can beat. To come out and have a performance like that? It sucks. No other way to put it.”

Actually, there were other ways to summarize it.

Staley did so succinctly: “We played like s—,” he said.

And safety Eric Reid explained it was a team effort: “We got our butts handed to us. Couldn’t get it going on offense. Couldn’t get it going on defense. Didn’t make any plays on special teams. Can’t win a game like that.”

Despite their all-encompassing struggles, the 49ers trailed just 10-3 at halftime, when head coach Jim Tomsula attempted to wake his team with a message that was probably profane.

“I can’t repeat it,” said Tomsula, who said the gist of the message was: “Get your head right.”

Instead, the 49ers had their heads handed to them. The Browns, who hadn’t rushed for more than 116 yards in their previous 17 games, rushed for 118 yards in the second half. On offense, the 49ers had three punts and failed to convert a fourth down on their first four series of the second half.

As a result, the 49ers left the Factory of Sadness understanding they’re not good enough to beat a team if they have less than maximum intensity. Even the Browns.

“Everyone is new,” linebacker NaVorro Bowman said. “And you want to install the consistency and understand that you have to come ready to play every single week in the NFL. It’s obvious that we don’t understand the consistency that you have to have in this league. Until we understand that, we’ll continue to have these problems.”

Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: ebranch@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Eric_Branch

Better with Gabbert?

The 49ers’ offensive stats the first eight games with Colin Kaepernick at QB compared with the past five with Blaine Gabbert:

Stat First 8 Past 5 Record 2-6 2-3 Points per game 13.6 15.8 Yards per game 282.3 300.8 First downs per game 15.8 15.4 Turnovers per game 0.9 0.8 Point differential -98 -29 Completion pct 59.3 63.0 Times sacked per game 3.5 3.4

3 notables

QB Blaine Gabbert: He finished with a wildly deceptive passer rating (96.4). He was constantly under duress and had thrown for 122 yards before a garbage-time TD drive.

S Jaquiski Tartt: The rookie had the first interception of his career, corralling an ill-advised, across-the-field throw by Johnny Manziel.

OLB Corey Lemonier: Starting in place of Aaron Lynch, he had just two tackles and committed a horrendous face-mask penalty that erased a would-be safety.

— Eric Branch