This Sunday, the Cleveland Browns take on the Las Vegas Raiders. Below, we analyze a few advantages, disadvantages, or general thoughts about the two teams before getting to our predictions for the game.
Prime Time 2.0?
Today is a big day for the future of the Cleveland Browns. While one game doesn’t dictate a player’s NFL career, right now, the Browns figure to be poised to draft a quarterback high in the 2026 NFL Draft. One player has the ability to compel Cleveland to alter their decision: Shedeur Sanders.
The fan excitement is there surrounding Sanders, who received first team reps this week for the only time all season. I think it’s natural to assume that Sanders and the offense will look a little more in rhythm this week. On the same note, though, I’m not a believer that someone can correct those issues in just one week. His drifting back in the pocket, and eventually taking a big sack on third down, can’t continue. Hopefully the coaching staff has done enough during the week to mitigate at least a little bit of that; otherwise, it’ll be challenging to sustain a drive.
I think the defense will still be motivated, which serves as the team’s best chance of winning again. It’s crazy to think that we’re in Week 12, and we don’t have a game this season in which it truly feels like the offense has had a solid game. If we’re thinking that changes this week, it’s merely out of blind faith and hope. The Raiders’ offense has been just as stagnant, even though they are led by a veteran quarterback in Geno Smith. Much like Cleveland, their offensive line has been in shambles, which is why Myles Garrett (as always) is being pegged to have a big game.
Quick Hitters
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz talked about the Ravens succeeding on the touchdown run by Mark Andrews:
“Yeah, I mean, they ran one week before, two weeks before, where they tossed the ball back and when it’s all said and done, everything you do has strengths and weaknesses as far as, you know, what it’s designed for, what it’s good for. And, you got fourth and inches right there and get a chance to get a stop and stop a quarterback sneak, you got to take that shot at it. If there was a defense that stopped everything, offenses would never score a point. But we did miss a recognition on that. We got to get players across when that push guy doesn’t push when he goes to the outside, we should mirror that. We didn’t in that, and we were a little too aggressive on the sneak, and it set us up for that. But schematically we could have, can we stop that play for zero, in that defense, maybe not, but we shouldn’t give them a touchdown, maybe stop it for three or four, but who knows the way that goes – you know, they pick up first down there and try and clock out, and all of a sudden they’re kicking a field goal maybe with two seconds left and, you know, lose. So, you know, we’re never trying to give up a touchdown, you know, but at least offense had a chance to have time and go make that play. I’m not trying to make light of it or anything else. We got to stop that play. We can play it better. But the philosophy there was take the easiest play away which is quarterback sneak in that situation, try to make them do something else. We just didn’t play well enough when they did because most teams don’t want to go sideways on fourth and inches, particularly in that situation. They did, they made the play. Hats off to them.”
Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was asked about developing a gameplan for Shedeur Sanders this week:
“Yeah, without getting into specifics, obviously. With any quarterback, with any player really, you want them to feel as comfortable as possible. You know, for young players like Dillon (Gabriel) and Shedeur, that’s pulling from a lot of different avenues. That’s pulling from things that they’ve been comfortable with within your system, things you know that they like. So that’s our number one job, right? You want to make your quarterback comfortable; you want to call plays, you want to put in plays that breathe confidence into them as they hear them, as they call them, plays that they know they can make work. And then you press the guys around them to raise their level of play and play well, to continue to breathe confidence in the young players and in the young quarterbacks. So, that’s really been the motivation this week moving forward. Had a good first day of practice, had a good walk through this morning, so continue to build off of that.”
Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone was asked about failing to down the ball at the one yard line again last week:
“Yeah. And I think at that point, you don’t even have to, like, really get on the ball. I think if you’re gonna do anything, you could, like, bat the ball back. Like, just bat it back. You don’t have to physically go to the ground at that point and be under control when you’re doing it, if you’re gonna do that. But I don’t think at that point the ball’s rolling, like, parallel to the goal line. It’s not really going towards the line. And if it is, just bat the ball back. I don’t think you have to get to the ground.”
Some other notes to look forward to:
- Jerry Jeudy has shown some positive signs over the past two weeks, and with Sanders having more of a downfield mindset, I think it makes sense to target him. Hopefully, they built enough of a relationship this week to make Sanders comfortable with getting him the ball early and often.
- Alex Wright got a new contract this week, but is out with an injury this week. That means more reps for Isaiah McGuire and Cameron Mitchell again. Up front, though, the guy I want to see with increased reps is Mike Hall Jr. at defensive tackle.
Predictions
Here are predictions from multiple staff members at DBN:
Chris Pokorny: “I’ll be attending the game, and hoping Shedeur Sanders has an entertaining performance. However, I’m also fully prepared for a situation where he keeps getting sacked, and the offense puts a donut on the board again. I’ll go for a prediction that Myles Garrett and the defense outplays the Raiders enough to set Cleveland up for some scores and their third win of the season.” Browns 20, Raiders 13
Jared Mueller: “I’m not totally sure the Browns want to win this game as an organization but I think they will almost have no choice to. The Raiders have some talent but are kinda checked out with little hope. Cleveland has had a lot of issues but effort, in general, hasn’t been a problem for the team.
Shedeur Sanders gets a fine first start but nothing that will change what the Browns will do as early as next week (Dillon Gabriel’s return) or in the 2026 NFL draft.” Browns 24, Raiders 17
Barry Shuck: “Well, if the Browns can’t beat the Raiders, who can they beat? Las Vegas is good against the pass ranked #9, so it will be a good test for a new QB. The run game is in the tank although the offensive line is doing better. Both offenses are really bad. Field goal central for me.” Browns 13, Raiders 9
Curtiss Brown: “To win or not to win? That’s the million dollar question. It’s the NFL. We’ve seen teams lose to teams they have no business losing to and teams winning against teams they have no shot against.
Yes, we all know the Browns are a bad team but they aren’t as bad as people think. The Raiders? Different story. Going into this season, many believed that the Las Vegas Raiders were a sleeper to make the playoffs in the AFC. Despite a new head coach, new QB and new offensive coordinator, the team might be worse than last season.
Effort hasn’t been the issue for the Browns this year but it has been for the Raiders. This game will come down to which team doesn’t shoot themselves in the foot. I have low expectations for rookie Shedeur Sanders as he makes his first career start, but I think Geno Smith outplays him by a small margin.
Don’t know who wins this game, coin flip in my eyes.” Browns 20, Raiders 19
Ezweav: “Last week we almost wrecked the tank, but superior coaching allowed us to lose handily to a team we outplayed for 4 quarters. That’s quality work, and a genius stroke to call a read option for Gabriel, right as it looked like he was starting to see downfield a little bit.
It doesn’t seem like Shedeur has improved his capacity to read and process defenses at all since being drafted, so they have executed the gameplan perfectly. The Raiders are terrible but we are ready. We give up about 130 yards of offense and still lose by 10. The commitment is superlative.
It’s just going to depend on your perspective. If you’re hoping to see your team play a quality game it’s probably going to be a disappointing/frustrating afternoon/evening. But if you can appreciate the performance art of it all it should be mildly-to-medium entertaining.
We’ll drop a pick-six and then give up an easy TD on a broken coverage the next play, and Szmyt will miss a chipshot.” Raiders 22, Browns 12
Who do you think will win, Browns fans? Let us know in the comments section below.
