4 Hal Penting dari Awal NFL Pertama Shedeur Sanders saat Browns Mengalahkan Raiders

Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas) – With his father watching from a suite, charismatic rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders played well enough in his first NFL start to help propel the Cleveland Browns to a 24-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Browns, upping Cleveland’s record to 3-8 this season. Meanwhile, the Raiders lost their fifth game in a row, dropping to 2-9 in head coach Pete Carroll’s first season with the team.

Sanders became the 45th starting quarterback for the Browns since 1994, the most in the NFL.

Here are my takeaways:

1. Sanders oversees a risk-averse offense that leans on a dominant defense

Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, clad in a cowboy hat and gold-plated coaching whistle dangling from a blingy chain around his neck, had a handful of plays to smile about, and some head-scratching moments from his suite watching his son play.

Shedeur struggled in his first game action last week in relief of the injured Dillon Gabriel. He finished 4-of-16 for 47 yards with one interception in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. However, with Gabriel still out because of a concussion, Sanders finally got first-team reps and a full week of practice with the starters.

That time proved valuable, as Sanders looked more comfortable running Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense. Sanders threw a bad interception on a short pass over the middle that was intended for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. The Raiders turned that takeaway into their only points on the day, a 41-yard Daniel Carlson field goal.

Other than that, Sanders wasn’t awful, finishing 11-of-20 for 209 yards, with a 66-yard touchdown pass on a swing route to rookie Dylan Sampson and that one interception. Along with the Sampson touchdown, his highlight play was evading a blitz, rolling right and hitting fellow rookie Isaiah Bond for a 54-yard completion on a deep ball that led to Qunshon Judkins’ 8-yard TD run.

It’s only the second time the Browns scored over 20 points this season. 

2. Myles Garrett terrorizes QBs, chasing a single-season NFL sack record

The frontrunner for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Garrett has put together a historic season buried in the badness of the Browns. He finished with five combined tackles and three sacks, upping his league-leading total to 18 in 11 games this season as Cleveland totaled 10 sacks on the day.

Garrett has posted at least 13 sacks in five straight seasons, dating back to 2021, the longest streak of any defender since sacks were first tracked in 1982. Garrett needs just five sacks over the next six games to break the record of 22.5 set by Michael Strahan in 2001.

3. Is Pete Carroll coaching on borrowed time?

A head coach has not lasted more than two seasons in Las Vegas since Jon Gruden. So, will Raiders owner Mark Davis have a quick hook for Carroll with the Raiders struggling through a disappointing first year under the future Hall of Fame head coach?

How Davis evaluates Carroll’s fit with the front office’s vision for the future will be key. Specifically, does that vision include offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham?

Whatever decisions they make, the bottom line for the Raiders is they must figure out a way to build a roster that best takes advantage of core pieces in edge rusher Maxx Crosby, tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty.

4. What will the Raiders do at quarterback moving forward?

Smith heard a steady chorus of boos during introductions, leaving the field at halftime and throughout the game, as the Las Vegas offense scuffled, finishing with 231 total yards.

Entering Sunday, Smith was tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with 13 while leading one of the worst scoring offenses in the league. It’s not all Smith’s fault, as Las Vegas struggled to consistently protect him up front and the Raiders need more playmakers on the perimeter. Still, at 35 years old, Smith’s best football is likely behind him.

(Chris Unger/Getty Images)

Smith signed a two-year, $75 million contract this offseason after coming to Las Vegas in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks. The contract includes $66.5 million in guarantees, which includes $18.5 million in guaranteed compensation next season.

It’s a significant amount to move on from, but the Raiders are projected to have over $100 million in cap space next year and could view cutting Smith as a sunk cost. They could move on and instead draft their quarterback of the future high in next year’s draft.

4 ½. What’s next?

The Browns and Sanders will face a tougher test at home next week, with the San Francisco 49ers traveling to Cleveland. At 7-4 and hosting the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football, the 49ers are chasing a playoff spot in the NFC. San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh could pose problems for Sanders.

For Carroll and the Raiders, they face back-to-back AFC West tilts: on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers next week and at home against the Denver Broncos the following week. The Raiders are relegated to playing spoiler down the stretch and playing for draft position, potentially for an opportunity to draft a franchise quarterback next year.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.

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