The Raiders' 3 Most Important Keys to Rebounding vs. Browns

The Las Vegas Raiders will be taking on the Cleveland Browns in Week 12 at home. After their latest loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Raiders have lost four in a row, which is the second time this season they've had a losing streak of three or more games.

Similarly, the Browns have lost three in a row. Both of these teams are looking for a get-right game, and unlike the Raiders, the Browns have made a change at quarterback. What are three things they have to look out for against the Browns?

Three Things To Look Out For

Dominant Defense

There's no sugarcoating that the Raiders' offense has struggled under Pete Carroll and Geno Smith. Smith leads the NFL in turnovers, and Carroll's play-calling hasn't inspired any confidence. They've struggled against middling defenses so far in the season, and the Browns' defense is far from mediocre.

They're a juggernaut headlined by Myles Garrett, who will wreak havoc on the Raiders' offensive line. He's coming off a four-sack performance and had five earlier in the season. Those were against the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots, respectively, who boast much more talented offensive lines than the Raiders.

Garett isn't only the Browns' defensive player they have to look out for. They have an impressive rookie duo in Carson Schwesinger and Mason Graham, who benefit from all the attention Garrett attracts.

The Raiders have to prioritize pass protection this week, more so than any other week. Regardless of their offense, the Browns' defense may single-handedly win them the game with the pressure they can get on Smith. They're going to force him to make throws he doesn't want to make, and that leads to turnovers more often than not. Especially with Smith, whose decision-making is already shaky given a relatively clean pocket.

Offensive Woes

Nov 17, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Raiders couldn't get anything going against the Cowboys, and they need to get back to some sort of consistency. That means that even if their offensive line is struggling, Ashton Jeanty needs more than six carries.

He's already had an inefficient rookie season; there's no reason why they don't hand him the ball more often. Even if they're playing from behind, they're likely to get more explosive offense from Jeanty than Smith airing it out.

Nov 2, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) runs the ball during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's also time the Raiders start to use their young weapons more. Tyler Lockett was a great pickup to be a veteran receiver with a pre-existing connection with Smith, but he shouldn't be the guy they look towards to move the offense.

Dont'e Thornton Jr. didn't even get a reception, and Jack Bech only had one catch for 19 yards. The Cowboys did a good job at minimizing the impact of Brock Bowers, but that shouldn't discourage the Raiders from going to him again.

Rookie Quarterback

Shedeur Sanders will start for the first time in his NFL career against the Raiders' defense. One of the two Raiders' wins was against a rookie quarterback, Cam Ward, and they have the defense to improve that record to 2 - 0.

Their secondary doesn't do a good job guarding receivers, but their pass rush can do a good job at getting pressure on Sanders, which is his Achilles heel. He wants to hold on to the ball because he doesn't process the field at NFL speed yet.

Just like Garrett can have a big game, Maxx Crosby has the potential to have his biggest game of the season. He was able to get a sack and force a fumble on Dak Prescott. Sanders' tendency to hold on to the ball mixed with Crosby's pass-rushing moves is gonna lead to him forcing another fumble.

Kyu Blu Kelly is coming off a horrendous performance against George Pickens; he can have a bounce-back game against the Browns, who lack a dominant receiver. Sanders wants to build a connection with his primary receivers, but they cannot allow him to settle into his offense. Nothing is scarier than a player with nothing to lose, and this is Sanders' opportunity to prove himself in the NFL.

The Raiders have the defense to hold the Browns' offense in check; it's just a matter of their offense overcoming one of the best defenses in the NFL.

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