It seems that all of the Browns' games this season have followed one of two scripts. Either they are blown off the field altogether (Ravens in Week 2, Lions, Patriots), or a Herculean effort by the defense keeps them in a game that their elementary offense has no business being in. This includes their two victories, no less.
That same Ravens team that ran up a 41-17 score in Week 2 came into town red hot, winning three games in a row after a 1-5 start for their Week 11 tilt. The results were surprising, to say the least. Heading into the final quarter, the Browns were nursing a 16-10 lead. Don't let the score fool you, though. The Browns' lone touchdown in the contest was by - you guessed it - their defense, when Devin Bush intercepted Lamar Jackson and took it back for six halfway through the second quarter.
Countless offensive drives stalled out - this is despite the fact that the fans got what they'd been clamoring for all along. Shedeur Sanders finally made his NFL debut following an injury to Dillon Gabriel. To say the performance was disappointing would be a major understatement. Sanders was overwhelmed early and often, en route to a ghoulish 4-of-16, 47-yard outing in which he also tossed an interception. His performance netted him a 13.5 passer rating, which certainly makes for a debut to forget.
Browns take slight jump to #30 in latest power rankings
With all that background out of the way, it's hard to fault the folks over at NFL Spin Zone for only a small bump in their Week 12 edition of power rankings for Cleveland. The Browns had sunk to the deplorable position of #31, and now they find themselves at #30. Any improvement is welcome in the Factory of Sadness.
While no one is happy to see Dillon Gabriel in concussion protocol, the nature of his injury opens the door for Shedeur Sanders to wash away the awful taste of his debut and get a fresh start in Week 12. The schedule also opens up a little bit, as the Browns will be in Las Vegas to take on the reeling Raiders on Sunday.
The Raiders enter the week with the 24th-ranked defense, after being particularly diced up by the Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Gabriel's absence from practice also ensures that Sanders will get a full week of work with the starters - something his defenders have been all too eager to remind everyone he didn't have in his debut, even though that's the norm for most backups.
Regardless of anything said by Kevin Stefanski this week, we would be naive to think that a stellar performance from an offense that has not topped 300 yards in five weeks wouldn't lead to a formal quarterback change. It wouldn't be the first time in NFL history that a player has lost his spot due to injury, and if we're being honest - Gabriel appeared close to playing himself out of the starting unit anyway. If the Browns' offensive unit can show a pulse against the Raiders, there would be no putting the genie back in the bottle.
Unfortunately, Browns fans have the scars to prove that the team doesn't always make the obvious move, even when it's staring them in the face.