Week 12 pits a couple of 2-8 teams against each other with the Las Vegas Raiders hosting the Cleveland Browns. To preview the matchup, Silver and Black Pride reached out to our friends at Dawgs By Nature, and Chris Pokorny was kind enough to answer a few questions about the Browns for Raider Nation.
Q: What are the expectations for Sheduer Sanders in his first NFL start? I know it’s a small sample size, but what did he show during the preseason and coming off the bench for Dillon Gabriel last week?
A: The expectations are very low. I think there’s the natural hope that with Shedeur Sanders getting first-team practice reps this week for the first time all season, that he’ll be a little sharper in knowing where to go with the football at a faster pace.
But last week was the same thing he showed in the final preseason game: even though he has a good arm and some good mentality of reading plays, everything looks too slow to process at the NFL level. And then, when he faces pressure on third down, he drifts backwards and the play leads to an automatic 15-yard loss every time, hurting field position.
I think it’s difficult to just correct those things in one week. However, I’m sure Sanders and the coaching staff are well aware of those issues, so it’s up to them to craft some type of game plan that fits his strengths as he is right now. The encouraging thing is that Sanders has his eyes looking more downfield than Dillon Gabriel, where everything seemed like 3-yard routes if we were lucky.
Q: Quinshon Judkins is the only rookie running back to record more rushing yards than Ashton Jeanty, 620 to 554, so far this season. What has Judkins brought to the Browns’ offense?
A: Quinshon Judkins has that natural mixture of vision, cutting, and power to where you know he’s going to be one of the top running backs in the league. The only thing holding him back is how bad our offense has been, including the offensive line and the passing game. He’s made the most of poor/slow blocking, and teams knowing they can load the box against him.
If the blocking was average or the passing game was somewhat decent, I think Judkins would be shredding any defense he faced for 100+ yards each week. He’s also a fine enough receiver, at least in the short passing game (we haven’t seen him targeted on downfield routes).
Q: Everyone knows that Myles Garrett is an elite pass-rusher, but he’s been on an unreal run even for his standards with 10 sacks in the last three games. What’s been different about these last three weeks compared to the rest of the season? Any suggestions on how to slow him down?
A: The best way to slow Myles Garrett down is to still commit extra blockers to him. I know that’s challenging to do when the Browns’ defense in general is solid all-around, which means you’re making yourself vulnerable to a handful of other players, but it’s what works best.
Garrett’s get-off is the best in the NFL, and he does get some sacks in those circumstances. But lately, in his 5-sack and 4-sack games, I actually attribute many of those sacks to his speed. You’ll see the quarterback roll a little bit toward the other direction, trying to see if they can extend the play, and Garrett’s hustle reaches them faster than they anticipate, so they have to take the sack.
Q: On paper, it seems like Mason Graham has been a disappointment with just 22 tackles and half a sack through 10 games. How does the fanbase feel about Cleveland’s first-round pick so far? Where does he need to improve?
A: With Mason Graham, it’s one of those tough situations where I would say that he has been a solid player who shows upside, but you’re also not going to look at him right now and say, “Wow, that guy is dominating the game; he must be at the top of his class.” The fact that he doesn’t look like a bust is kind of a step one standard for me, and I do feel like he has played a role in helping shore up the team’s run defense.
I think the last few weeks, we are starting to see his quickness on display now, where he is making his first move that catches the guy in front of him off guard, allowing him to disrupt plays. Just getting more reps is all I think he needs, and his game will continue improving.
Q: Can you give us one “under the radar” player on each side of the ball for the Browns to keep tabs on this Sunday?
A: On offense, I’d look at tight end Harold Fannin Jr. The rookie leads the Browns with 44 catches for 422 yards and 2 touchdowns, and is used on a wide range of route options. He occasionally drops the easy pass, but still secures most of them and also has shown the ability to power through a couple of tackles to add 3-4 more yards to the play after first contact.
On defense, look out for defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. He returned to action after being out a long time due to injury a few weeks ago, and they have been working his reps up. This might be the week where he plays a bigger role in the rotation, and the former second-round pick can keep guys like Mason Graham and Maliek Collins fresh.
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