Welcome back Bowns fans to week 12 of the season. Sunday the 2-8 Browns travel west to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium to take on the 2-8 Las Vegas Raiders. Game time is 3:05 CST and as usual the ChicagoLand Browns Backers/Northside Dawg Pound will meet-up at Burke’s Public House 5401 N. Broadway to cheer the Browns onto victory. The Browns come into the game looking to break a 3 game losing streak while the Raiders are riding a 4 game losing streak and looking to get their 2nd home win of the season. With rookie QB Shadeur Sanders getting his first NFL start the Browns coaches and players will be facing a significant number of challenges as they attempt to break a 13 game road losing streak and make Sanders the first Browns rookie QB to get a win in his first game since the team rejoined the NFL in 1999. One of Cleveland’s biggest challengers will be whether offensive coordinator Tommy Rees can design a game plan that will maximize Sanders’ strengths while minimizing his most glaring weaknesses. In his limited sample of 12 second half passes last week, Sanders’ performance highlighted 4 noteworthy differences between himself and Dillion Gabriel that demonstrated Sanders’ accuracy and ability to push the ball down the field compared to Gabriels quicker release and ball protection. The stat gurus at Pro Football Focus (PFF) track all sorts of passing metrics for QB’s including accuracy on down field throws called “percentage of big time throws” (BTT%), percentage of throws that should have led to interceptions (TWT%), average depth of throws (ADOT) and average time from ball snap to release of throw (TTT). According to PFF, Sanders’ BTT% was 6.3% (6th highest for the week) compared to Gabriel’s 0%, Sanders TWT% was 14.3% one of the highest for the week compared to Gabriel’s 0%, Sanders TTT was 3.3 seconds compared to Gabriel’s 2.7 seconds and Sanders ADOT of 9.8 yards per pass (9th best for the week) compared to Gabriel’s 5.6 yards. The big challenges for Sanders will be making quicker decisions on passes and recognizing coverages and pressure packages while avoiding interceptions and mastering his timing with his receivers. Timing with his receivers, especially on quick sideline passes, will be vital as a mis-timed sideline pass can quickly lead to a pick 6. The challenge for the Browns depleted offensive line will be giving Sanders enough time to throw with the Raiders expected to begin blitzing him as soon as they get off the team bus. One positive from Sanders’ ability to drive the ball down field could be forcing the Raiders safeties to play deeper making it easier for the offensive line to open rushing lanes for Quinshon Judkins against the Raiders 2nd ranked rushing defense. For the Browns defense the challenge will be taking full advantage of a porous Raiders offensive line that’s given up the 2nd most sacks in the league. With Myles Garrett currently leading the NFL in sacks with 15 and only 8 sacks away from breaking the NFL single season record he should be able to exploit the Raiders 2 offensive tackles who PFF ranks 65th and 61st among NFL offensive tackles. On the other side, the Browns O-line will be tasked with containing 3 time Pro Bowl DE Max Crosby who has 6 sacks and 14 tackles for loss (TFL) to go along with playing on 90% of defensive snaps. No other Raider defender has more than 3 sacks. On the offensive side, Las Vegas is scoring fewer points per game (15.5 points) than the Browns (16.2 points) while outgaining the Browns 257 yards per game to 269 yards per game. Over their 4 game losing streak Las Vegas has been outscored 104-54. Raider QB Geno Smith has thrown 12 TD’s while leading the NFL in interception with 13 along with the 3rd highest interception percentage in the league. Like the Browns, the Raiders’ passing game utilizes a lot of 2 tight end formations led by 2nd year All Pro TE Brock Bowers who leads the team in receptions and receiving yards, averaging almost 12 yards per catch with 3 TD’s. Las Vegas’s second TE is Michael Mayer who averages 8 yards per catch with 1 TD. The Raiders deep threat is WR Tre Tucker who has 38 receptions averaging 13 yards per catch with 5 TD’s. When pressured Smith’s completion rate drops from 66% to 52% and his QB rating drops from 80.9 (31st in the NFL) to 44.2 with Bowers and veteran Tyler Lockett as his main outlet receivers. Overall, 65% of Raider passes go for 9 yards or less and Smith has been sacked 31 times 4th most in the NFL. Rookie RB Ashton Jeanty leads the team in rushing with 554 yards on 149 carries despite averaging 3.7 yards per rush. However, at 5’9” 215 lbs. he averages 3 yards per carry after contact so the Browns defense will need get to him before he gets a head of steam much like the Ravens Derrick Henry. Overall, the Raiders have 4 rushing TD’s along with 4 fumbles. In comparison the Browns Quinshon Judkins leads all rookie RB’s with 620 yards and 5 rushing TD’s. The Raiders defense gives up 25 points per game 24th in the NFL and 5.2 yards per play which is 17th. While they are very good at defending the run ranked 2nd at 3.8 yards per carry, they have had problems defending the pass allowing 67.4% completions (23rd in the NFL) with only 6 interceptions and a 5.4% sack rate 26th in the NFL. Opponents are converting 44.6% of their third down attempts 3rd worse in the NFL and 71% of their 4th down tries. With both teams in the bottom third of the league in the red zone scoring, successfully kicking field goals may be the deciding factor in this game. Currently Las Vegas is hitting on 79% of their field goals compared to the Browns 83% success rate. GO BROWN…..GO CAVS