Dawgs By Nature
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.
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.
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,...
