Gardner Minshew threw for 305 yards and accounted for 4 TDs against the Browns with the Colts last season. The Browns won, 39-38.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Las Vegas Raiders
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., in Allegiant Stadium; Las Vegas, NV
Record: 1-2.
Last game: Lost to Carolina Panthers, 36-22, September 22, in Las Vegas.
Coach: Antonio Pierce, 6-6, second year.
Series record: Raiders lead, 17-10.
Last meeting: Raiders won, 16-14, December 20, 2021, in Cleveland.
League rankings: Offense is 21st overall (32nd rushing, 4th passing), defense is 30th overall (29th rushing, 23rd passing) and turnover differential is minus-4.
Things to watch
1. An embarrassing loss to previously winless Carolina in the Raiders’ home opener left the emotional Pierce considering changes at quarterback and elsewhere. After cooling off, Pierce was noncommittal on his starting quarterback. The feeling was Pierce would stay with veteran Gardner Minshew but shorten the leash on him after backup Aidan O’Connell showed some life in garbage time against the Panthers. Through three games, Minshew is completing 73.7% of his passes, but the offense scored only 10, 26 and 7 points under his direction.
2. The Raiders are last in the NFL in rushing, averaging 2.8 yards per attempt, with a long run of 12 yards by feature back Zamir White. They have gained 55 yards or less on the ground in three straight games for the first time in franchise history. Their 55 rush attempts are second-fewest in the NFL and are 25 below the league average.
3. Usually when a team doesn’t run the ball well its defense has trouble stopping the run. Sure enough, the Raiders defense is yielding 177 yards a game, 29th in the league.
4. The Raiders have lost two starters on defense for the season -- defensive end Malcolm Koonce, who was second on the team with 8 sacks last year, and safety Marcus Epps.
5. Like almost every defense nowadays, the Raiders have two linemen of note to occupy opponents’ attention. They are end Maxx Crosby, who had 14.5 sacks last season and 3 in three games in 2024, and tackle Christian Wilkins. Wilkins defected from the Dolphins via free agency and signed with the Raiders for $110 million over four years, including $84.75 million guaranteed.
Did you know … ?
1. Davonte Adams is coming off four consecutive 100-catch seasons. He has 18 receptions through three games. Adams, 32, has no more contract guarantees after this year. With a scheduled salary of $35+ million in 2025, he could be a trade subject at the league deadline in November.
2. Tight end Brock Bowers is second among rookies with 18 receptions.
3. The Raiders have one of the best kicking tandems in the league in place-kicker Daniel Carlson (5 of 7 on field goals with a long of 53 yards) and punter A.J. Cole (50.3-yard gross average and 6 of 13 punts inside the 20).
4. When the Raiders searched for an offensive coordinator and veteran quarterback in the offseason, they considered candidates for both jobs formerly with the Bears. They knew they couldn’t reunite coordinator Luke Getsy and quarterback Justin Fields because they didn’t get along in Chicago. So they settled for Getsy as offensive coordinator and signed Minshew instead of Fields.
5. The Browns are 3-13 in games in the Pacific Time Zone in their expansion era. Their last win was on December 2, 2012, when they beat the Raiders in Oakland, 20-17.
Small world: Tight end Harrison Bryant was a fourth-round draft choice of the Browns in 2020 and played with them through 2023 … Senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan was Browns defensive coordinator in 2009-10 … Pass game coordinator Scott Turner was Browns receivers coach in 2013 … Run game defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Mike Caldwell played for the Browns in 1993-95 … Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg is a Cleveland native, and played at St. Ignatius HS and Ohio State.