Cleveland Browns scouting report: Las Vegas Raiders

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst on the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.

Browns v. Las Vegas Raiders

Sunday, 1 p.m., in FirstEnergy Stadium

Record: 3-3.

Last game: Lost to Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 45-20, Oct. 25, in Las Vegas, NV.

Coach: Jon Gruden, 14-24, third year; 114-109 overall.

Series record: Raiders lead, 15-10 (counting postseason).

Last meeting: Raiders won, 45-42, Sept. 13, 2018, in Oakland.

League rankings: Offense is ninth overall (17th rushing, seventh passing), defense is 26th overall (15th rushing, 28th passing) and turnover differential is minus-5.

Things to watch

• Jon Gruden has always been known as an offensive coach, so when his defense fails him, as it is this season, he comes off as fairly helpless, if not clueless. The Raiders haven’t been able to manufacture a pass rush, and that’s where their problems start. They are 31st in points per game, 30th in yards allowed, 30th in sacks, 29th in quarterback hits, 27th in passing yards per game and are 31st with a grand total of three takeaways (all interceptions). When Gruden hired Rod Marinelli, his former defensive coordinator with Tampa Bay, as defensive line coach in February, there was suspicion he did it as a lifeline if the defense stunk. So far, Gruden is not making a move on coordinator Paul Guenther, but Gruden vowed something has to change.
• Derek Carr is off to the best start of his seven-year career as Raiders quarterback. He’s completing 72 percent of his passes, has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 13-to-2, is averaging a robust 9.0 yards per pass attempt, and is on pace for a career-high (by far) of 4,602 passing yards. But here’s the thing about Carr: He just reached his 100th game and his career record is 42-58 despite favorable metrics such as a 156-to-64 TD-to-INT ratio, and a career passer rating of 92.0. Something – some intangible -- is missing. Carr already has obliterated the all-time passing yardage marks of legendary Raiders quarterbacks Ken Stabler, Rich Gannon, Daryl Lamonica and Jim Plunkett. The only time the Raiders have reached the postseason under Carr’s stewardship, in 2016, he was unable to play because of a broken fibula.
• Darren Waller’s story is a compelling one of recovery from substance abuse addiction to being one of the league’s best tight ends. He had 90 receptions for 1,145 yards last year. This year, he’s tied for first among tight ends with 40 receptions and is third with 345 yards.
• Rookie receiver Henry Ruggs, who clocked the fastest 40 time (4.27) at this year’s NFL Combine, is averaging 26.5 yards per reception (eight for 212 yards). Ruggs, of Alabama, was the 12th overall pick and the first receiver taken in the 2020 draft.

Did you know … ?

• Gruden is 4-0 in his career against the Browns. He beat them in 2000 in his first stint with the Oakland Raiders, in 2002 and 2006 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and in 2018 in his second stint with the Raiders. Gruden was the winning coach in Baker Mayfield’s NFL starting debut, a 45-42 Browns loss in overtime.
• No team has been fined more for Covid-19 protocol violations than the Raiders. Jon Gruden was docked $100,000 and the team $250,000 for the coach not wearing his mask properly on the sideline in a game against the Saints. The team later was fined $50,000 for allowing a non-credentialed employee in its locker room after a game. A few players also were fined for not wearing masks at a local charity fundraiser. Last week, the entire starting offensive line was quarantined after right tackle Trent Brown tested positive. Four of the starters eventually were cleared on the morning of their game against the Bucs and played without practicing all week. Brown has still not been cleared to play.
• Former Browns defensive end Carl Nassib, who gained fame in the Browns’ 2017 appearance on Hard Knocks as a foul-mouthed amateur financial planner, joined the Raiders in free agency after two seasons with Tampa Bay. Nassib has 12 tackles and one-half sack.
  
• The Raiders opened their $1.8 billion Allegiant Stadium on time this season, but they have yet to draw a crowd inside it. The state of Nevada has approved up to 2,000 spectators for football games there, but owner Mark Davis decided he would not open the games to fans unless all were allowed in. Davis, who nicknamed the stadium the Dark Star, also refused to attend a game in the new stadium until all fans were allowed in. Davis watches home games from the team’s facility in Henderson, NV, six miles away.

Small world: Defensive backs coach Jim O’Neil was Browns defensive coordinator under Mike Pettine in 2014-15 … Running backs coach Kirby Wilson had the same position with the Browns under Hue Jackson in 2016-17 … Defensive end Carl Nassib was a Browns’ third-round draft pick in 2016 and played with them through 2017 … Defensive end Chris Smith played for the Browns in 2018-19.