The Las Vegas Raiders host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Kickoff is at 1:05 p.m. PT. Here are five keys to victory for the Raiders:
Contain Myles Garrett:
Well, that may not be possible. The superstar defensive end is playing out of his mind. Garrett has 10 sacks in the past three games. Yes, 10 sacks in the past three games. We all know the Raiders’ offensive line has struggled badly this season. They have allowed 11 sacks and 41 pressures in the past two games. Garret can absolutely wreck the Raiders’ offense in this game.
Make Shedeur Sanders’ life miserable:
While Garrett represents the Browns’ best chance of winning this game between the two 2-8 squads, Sanders may represent the Raiders’ best chance to be victorious for just the third time this season. Sanders will make his NFL starting debut because fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel is in the NFL’s concussion protocol. Sanders played some in Week 11 and struggled. He will have a full week’s practice this week to help him prepare. Still, the fifth-round pick is raw and he has no business winning an NFL game. The Raiders must make sure Sanders looks like the raw rookie he is.
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Worry about the rookie linebacker:
The Raiders were rumored to be interested in Sanders in the draft, and they were also rumored to like UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger. He’s been outstanding and is in the mix to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. So, the Browns’ defense isn’t all about stopping Garrett.
Act like the better team:
This game is very similar to the Raiders’ Week 6 home game against the Tennessee Titans, which was the last time Las Vegas has won. The Titans were a bumbling one-win team (they still are) and the Raiders were the better team. They are probably slightly better than the Browns and the game is at home. If the Raiders can limit their mistakes, they should win this game.
Run the damn ball:
The Raiders ran the ball just 12 times against Dallas on Monday night. They had three called run plays in the first half. Come on, Chip Kelly, establish the run game. Ashton Jeanty wasn’t drafted at No. 6 overall to have six rush attempts like he did against Dallas. Run the damn ball.
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