The Browns defense put up its best performance under coordinator Jim Schwartz in a 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Nov. 23.
The Browns held the Raiders to just 10 points while compiling 10 sacks as a team to go along with 13 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hits on the Raiders’ Geno Smith.
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Leading the way, of course, was superstar defensive end Myles Garrett, who broke his own Browns record for sacks in a season as he totaled three more in the game to push his season total to 18. He’s on pace for an NFL record 28 this season.
The Browns had a fairly easy time getting their third win of the season. Here’s a look at winners and losers from the game:
WINNER: Mason Graham, Browns defensive tackle
A player like Mason Graham is easy to overlook because he doesn’t pile up stats like linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Going into Sunday’s game, the rookie defensive tackle had 22 tackles and a half sack. He finished Sunday with five tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defended against the Raiders. He routinely overpowered and ran through the Raiders’ interior offensive linemen despite not registering one of the 10 sacks.
WINNER: Harold Fannin Jr., Browns tight end
After a hot start to the season, Harold Fannin Jr. hasn’t been a critical part of the offense for a few weeks. The rookie tight end was rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ favorite target catching four passes for 40 yards. That might not sound overly impressive, but Fannin played hard, twice dragging Raiders for extra yards and first downs. On a fourth quarter 66-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Sampson, Fannin had a key block down field to help spring the score.
LOSER: The Raiders as a whole
When you watch the Browns limp through another losing season, it’s easy to forget there are other bad teams out there. The Raiders are a bad team. The offense is disjointed. The offensive line needs to be rebuilt entirely. You have to feel for Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who continues to make plays on an atrocious team. That should sound familiar for Browns fans — and Garrett.
LOSER: Ashton Jeanty, Raiders running back
Ashton Jeanty isn’t getting this designation because of his play. Sure, he averaged less than three yards a carry, toting the ball 17 times for 50 yards. But Jeanty proved himself as a pass catcher and a reliable blocker, picking up a few blitzes the Browns tried up the middle. But it’s not Jeanty’s fault he’s stuck behind such a bad offensive line. Las Vegas needs to build its offensive around Jeanty after using the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft on him.
LOSER: Browns discipline
The glaring issue for the Browns in this game was penalties. As a team they had eight for 70 yards. The most egregious were three illegal shift calls on which the Browns weren’t set before the ball was snapped. It’s hard to tell if this is on Sanders, the plays being called or the individual players not getting set.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Five biggest winners and losers from the Browns’ Week 12 win vs Raiders
Reporting by Dan Kadar, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
