Hunter Renfrow has emerged as Derek Carr's favorite target in a Raiders' season gone bad. (Las Vegas Raiders)
Cleveland Browns scouting report: Las Vegas Raiders
You must have an active subscription to read this story.
Click Here to subscribe Now!
Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst on the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Browns v. Las Vegas Raiders
Saturday, 4:30 p.m., in FirstEnergy Stadium
Record: 6-7.
Last game: Lost to Kansas City Chiefs, 48-9, Dec. 12, in Kansas City.
Coach: Rich Bisaccia, 3-5, first year.
Series record: Raiders lead, 16-10 (counting postseason).
Last meeting: Raiders won, 16-6, Nov. 1, 2020, in Cleveland.
League rankings: Offense is ninth overall (29th rushing, third passing), defense is 20th overall (26th rushing, 13th passing) and turnover differential is minus-4.
Things to watch
1. Another once-promising start for the Raiders has descended into a familiar swoon. What’s different this time is other tumultuous events that will lead to massive organizational changes after the season. The fact the Raiders are still mathematically in the AFC playoff calculations is a credit to interim coach Rich Bisaccia, who took over when Jon Gruden resigned Oct. 11 after revelations of using racist and anti-gay language in private emails 10 years ago. The Raiders won their first two games under Bisaccia to rise to 5-2 and in first place in the AFC West. But a 1-5 tailspin – their third in three years – has ensued, including two losses to division rival Kansas City by scores of 41-14 and 48-9.
2. GM Mike Mayock and Gruden decided to disassemble one of the best – and highest-paid – offensive lines in the 2021 offseason. The results have been poor. The line was further disrupted by the loss of both projected starting guards to injuries in preseason. As a result, the Raiders struggle to run the ball at a 3.8-yard rate, and quarterback Derek Carr is on a pace for second-most sacks in his career and his passer rating of 95.7 is at a four-year low.
3. Carr’s season has been adversely affected by the loss of his two best receiving targets. All-Pro tight end Darren Waller (53 catches, 643 yards) has missed the last two games with knee and back injuries. And second-year receiver Henry Ruggs was waived following his arrest on Nov. 2 on four felony charges after a 23-year-old woman was killed by a vehicle Ruggs was driving at 156 mph while legally drunk.
4. The strength of the team is the pass rush in coordinator Gus Bradley’s 4-3 defense, led by ends Maxx Crosby (five sacks) and Yannick Ngakoue (nine). While Crosby hasn’t had a sack since Game 6, he is the most disruptive player on the front. The Raiders also mix in reserves Solomon Thomas and Carl Nassib. Bradley’s scheme does not blitz a lot, so he relies on pressure from his front four.
Did you know … ?
1. Hunter Renfrow has emerged as Carr’s favorite receiving target. With 86 receptions (877 yards, 5 touchdowns) on 106 targets, Renfrow has the highest catch percentage (81.1) of any receiver with more than 100 targets this season. Next-best is Tampa Bay’s Chris Godwin at 76.7 percent (92 catches on 120 targets). The best catch percentage for a Browns wide receiver belongs to Donovan Peoples-Jones, who has 23 catches on 35 targets for a 65.7 percentage.
2. Carr has gone 3-0 against the Browns since losing his first start against them as a rookie in 2014. Overall against the Browns, Carr has completed 104 of 168 for 1,190 yards, has 8 touchdowns and 2 interceptions and a rating of 94.1.
3. Jon Gruden resigned as coach of the Raiders on Oct. 11. He was 5-0 lifetime against the Browns.
4. The Raiders are the only team, so far, with a head coach opening. So the rumor mill is churning and the names Jim Harbaugh and Dabo Swinney are the first attached to the Raiders’ job. Harbaugh has been a favorite of Davis since Harbaugh ruled the Bay Area as Stanford coach. The Swinney connection stems from GM Mike Mayock, who’s drafted eight of Swinney’s Clemson players the past two years. The Swinney rumors gained steamed when he appeared on the sideline prior to a game in Allegiant Stadium earlier this month wearing Raiders gear. The problem with the Swinney rumor is that Mayock is not expected to be back as GM.
Small world: Defensive end Carl Nassib was a third-round pick of the Browns in 2016 and played with them through 2017.
