QB Shedeur Sanders led the Browns to a win against the Raiders in his first regular season start and threw his first NFL touchdown.
The Browns beat the Raiders 24-10 on Nov. 23 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, winning their third game and their first road game of the season.
Sanders totaled 209 passing yards in his first start, completing 11 of his 20 passing attempts. He threw a 66-yard touchdown to Dylan Sampson as well as his second career interception. RB Quinshon Judkins ran for 47 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, scoring both out of the wildcat formation. Sampson added 23 rushing yards on seven attempts. Sampson also led the Browns in receiving, catching two passes for 59 net receiving yards. WR Isaiah Bond tied his career-high with 58 receiving yards and caught two passes.
Cleveland's defense pressured Raiders QB Geno Smith throughout the game, totaling 10 sacks on Smith. Their sack total was the second-most sacks in a game in Browns history. Eight different players recorded a sack, including DE Myles Garrett recording three sacks and breaking his own Browns single-season sack record. DT Maliek Collins added 2.5 sacks behind Garrett. LB Carson Schwesinger led the Browns with 19 tackles, while LB Devin Bush and CB Tyson Campbell were tied with eight.
Key Moments
Shedeur Sanders makes his first regular season start
Sanders came out on the field to cheers from the crowd at Allegiant Stadium as he got the Browns offense ready for their first possession.
Sanders passed for eight yards, completing two of his three attempts on his first three possessions that spanned eight plays combined. Sanders let the ball loose on the first play of the fourth possession, finding TE Harold Fannin Jr. for 17 yards. Two plays later, he showed off his arm talent. Facing a third-and-8, Sanders launched the ball downfield to Bond and picked up 52 yards. The play moved Cleveland's drive all the way to the Raiders 2-yard line, setting up a Judkins touchdown a play later.
Sanders threw an interception on the next Browns possession after Raiders DE Charles Snowden jumped a route and gave Sanders his second career interception thrown. Sanders rebounded later in the second quarter with a floating pass to WR Jerry Jeudy for a 39-yard gain, but Jeudy had the ball punched out and the Raiders recovered for the Browns' second turnover of the game.
With Las Vegas trailing 17-3, Sanders accomplished a milestone and extended the Browns' lead by throwing his first touchdown pass. He found Sampson on a screen pass to his right while Sampson sped through his blocks, finding open space and running down the field and into the end zone for a 66-yard touchdown to put Cleveland up 24-3.
The Browns score twice in the first quarter
Both teams went scoreless on their first possessions, but WR Gage Larvadain helped put the Browns in range to score first with a punt return. Larvadain caught the punt and sped down the left side of the field, avoiding Las Vegas defenders before getting tripped by P A.J. Cole at the Las Vegas 27-yard line. The tripping penalty moved the ball to the 13-yard line.
It took just two plays for the Browns to take advantage of the field advantage, starting inside the red zone. The Browns went into the wildcat formation on second-and-5 with Judkins taking the snap, going up the middle and powering through tackles to score.
After the Browns went scoreless on their third possession, the Browns went back to work at their own 27-yard line for their fourth offensive possession. Sanders moved the drive to the Raiders 2-yard line with a 52-yard pass downfield to Bond. Judkins went into the wildcat formation again and got his second rushing touchdown to put Cleveland up 14-0.
Browns notch 10 sacks on QB Geno Smith
The Browns made Smith's game tough from the first quarter through the end of the fourth quarter.
On Las Vegas' second possession and facing a third-and-11, Collins took away any chance of moving the sticks. He went up the middle and brought Smith down for a loss of eight yards. On the first play of the Raiders' next possession, DT Shelby Harris and LB Jerome Baker combined to sack Smith. Smith and Las Vegas moved down the field on its next possession without allowing Cleveland into the backfield, reducing the Browns' lead to 14-3.
Cleveland returned to the backfield, however. As the Raiders crept up on midfield, LB Devin Bush sacked Smith for a loss of eight. Two plays later on third-and-15, Collins recorded his second sack of the game and sixth sack of the season. With 1:04 remaining in the second quarter and Las Vegas again near midfield, Garrett continued his terrorization of quarterbacks, recording his 16th sack and forcing Smith to fumble the ball.
Cleveland's five sacks in the first half matched their second-highest sack output in a game this season (Week 3 vs. Green Bay and Week 11 vs. Baltimore).
The Browns added five more sacks in the second half, starting on Las Vegas' first offensive possession. On second down, DE Isaiah McGuire and DT Mike Hall Jr. combined to sack Smith. Two plays later on fourth-and-4, Collins and DE Cameron Thomas brought him down again forcing a turnover on downs. Garrett added a second sack to his game in the fourth quarter.
As the Raiders attempted to come back with 4:06 to go in the game, Thomas and McGuire sacked Smith. Garrett notched his third sack of the second half with 2:16 remaining and forcing Smith to fumble the ball.
Myles Garrett breaks the Browns' single-season sack record
Garrett continued his run of form, recording three sacks against the Raiders to total 13 sacks in his last four games and breaking his own Browns single-season sack record with 18 total sacks this season. Before the end of the first half, he took down Smith and tied the record he set in 2021 and tied in 2022. Garrett broke the record on Las Vegas' first possession of the fourth quarter, maneuvering his way into the pocket to bring Smith down again.
He added to his game with a strip sack, marking his third sack of the day and his second forced fumble this season. Collins recovered the fumble, giving the ball back to the offense to further run the clock down on the game.
Game Highlights
Denzel Ward tackles Tre Tucker in the backfield for a loss of five yards.
Gage Larvadain showcases his speed and picks up 44 yards on the punt return.
Quinshon Judkins scores an 8-yard touchdown out of the wildcat formation.
Maliek Collins brings down Geno Smith on third down, his fifth sack of the season.
Shedeur Sanders launches the ball downfield to Isaiah Bond for a 52-yard gain.
Harold Fannin Jr. out-physicals multiple Raiders defenders to pick up 17 yards.
Quinshon Judkins scores his second wildcat touchdown of the game to put the Browns up 14-0.
Maliek Collins collects his second sack of the game, taking down Geno Smith.
Myles Garrett ties the Browns single-season sack record, sacking Geno Smith before the end of the first half.
Harold Fannin Jr. navigates the Raiders defense to pick up 15 yards.
Cleveland records its seventh sack of the game, taking down Geno Smith again.
Denzel Ward prevents a Raiders touchdown, getting in front of Tre Tucker.
Scoring Plays
CLE 7, LV 0 | Quinshon Judkins 8-yard run | 8:24 1Q
CLE 14, LV 0 | Quinshon Judkins 2-yard run | 0:52 1Q
CLE 14, LV 3 | Daniel Carlson makes 41-yard field goal | 9:12 2Q
CLE 17, LV 3 | Andre Szmyt makes 53-yard field goal | 12:08 2Q
CLE 24, LV 3 | Dylan Sampson 66-yard pass from Shedeur Sanders | 8:18 4Q
CLE 24, LV 10 | Ashton Jeanty 5-yard pass from Geno Smith | 5:11 4Q
What's Next
The Browns return to Cleveland after the win for Week 13's matchup against the 49ers on Nov. 30 at Huntington Bank Field.
