After suffering three consecutive losses, the Cleveland Browns turned their luck around and managed to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12, 24-10.

Sunday’s victory was also the first-ever start for rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who became the first Browns starting quarterback to win his first-career start since Eric Zeier in 1995.

The Browns’ 2025 fifth-round pick showed plenty of promise in his start against the Raiders, completing 11 of his 20 pass attempts for 209 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. His performance on Sunday evening included multiple deep shots downfield, which is something Cleveland’s offense has lacked since veteran Joe Flacco in 2023.

On his third drive of the contest, Sanders was able to connect with fellow rookie Isaiah Bond for a massive 52-yard completion to set the Browns up for their second touchdown of the night.

Shortly after the chunk play, however, Sanders threw his lone interception of the contest on the ensuing drive. The rookie quarterback stared down wideout Jerry Jeudy, and defensive end Charles Snowden was able to bait Sanders into attempting the pass instead of covering running back Dylan Sampson in the flat.

Cleveland’s offense in the second half lacked the juice from the first two quarters, but this would quickly change in the fourth quarter.

When the Browns needed a first down to truly put the game on ice, Sampson was able to turn a slip screen into a 66-yard touchdown for Sanders' first-career touchdown in the NFL. The huge play resulted in the Browns taking a 24-10 lead over the Raiders, while also stopping any momentum from Las Vegas.

The Verdict: B

Comparing this start to Sanders’ second-half appearance against the Ravens, Sanders looked much better in Week 12.

One of the major points of emphasis that needed to be addressed was the rookie’s tempo and pace. When matched up against a stout Baltimore defense, Sanders’ tempo was not at the NFL level. This was not the case on Sunday, as offensive coordinator Tommy Rees did an excellent job of getting him out of the pocket on play-action passes and bootlegs.

Looking at what Sanders must improve on, the former college standout must continue to build his trust with the offensive line, especially in third-down situations.

While the Browns’ offensive line is a complete mess, there were multiple occasions where Sanders bailed out of a clean pocket and missed an open receiver downfield. Being able to stay within the pocket and manage the pressure will help gain the trust of head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Overall, this was a great bounce-back performance for Sanders, but the young quarterback still has plenty to prove if he gets the start against a much better defense in the San Francisco 49ers.