Not many people saw Sunday's performance and thought, "This team is an NFL powerhouse." Nevertheless, the results were welcome for a fanbase that has been mistreated by their favorite team this season - and really for the past couple of seasons. The Browns dug themselves into a particularly deep hole when they blurred too many lines and deluded themselves into thinking that Deshaun Watson was the future. A season like this - and unfortunately, another - might be the ultimate price paid.
None of that mattered on Sunday, though. The fact of the matter is that football is entertainment. In addition to not giving the fans something to cheer about, the Browns' offense had reached an elite level of drudgery. Their offensive game plans lacked aggression, imagination, and seemingly any fire at all. As the weeks wore on for the Dillon Gabriel iteration of the Cleveland Browns, nothing seemed to change. This also meant there was no improvement.
Outside of Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry, and the folks who get paid to make decisions at team headquarters, no one really knew if Dillon Gabriel was close to playing himself out of the starting role. He ended up suffering an injury last week that shelved him for this week's game. Shedeur Sanders' debut in that game was hardly promising, but the nature of Gabriel's injury meant Sanders would get the nod - and the precious practice reps that come with it.
When Sanders took the field Sunday, he had a golden opportunity. Not only was the Raiders' woeful offense sure to be under siege by the unrelenting Browns pass rush, their defense has been hardly impenetrable this season - this would be the perfect day for the Browns to try to jump-start a passing game that has ranged from rough to unwatchable all season long.
Browns jump to 25 in latest power rankings
Shedeur Sanders was able to answer the call with a solid performance. For one, he provided what is probably the Browns' best offensive play this season. It was 3rd-and-8 late in the first quarter when Sanders evaded the Raiders' pass rush, extended the play, and uncorked a beautiful missile that fell into the waiting arms of fellow rookie Isaiah Bond. This set up the Browns' second touchdown of the day, giving them a 14-point lead that was never really in jeopardy the rest of the way.
Sanders would later get his first passing touchdown, courtesy of a short screen pass that another rookie - Dylan Sampson - took 66 yards for six. Yet another rookie - Gage Larvadain - deserves some credit for having a generally solid day on special teams, including a 44-yard return that set up the Browns' initial plunge into the end zone. That the Browns have to rely on a near-full cast of rookies for any kind of hope should indicate these are the early stages of a rebuild.
The defense put on a pass-rush clinic, showing thousands of spectators what it looks like to drive a flailing Geno Smith into the turf. They were so generous that they performed this demonstration a whopping TEN times in case someone missed any of the initial ones. Everyone was gracious enough to thank Myles Garrett (3.0 sacks) and Maliek Collins (2.5 sacks), and their assistants Devin Bush, Isaiah McGuire, and Cameron Thomas (1.0 sack apiece) for their charity. Even Jerome Baker, Shelby Harris, and Mike Hall Jr. got in on the fun with half a sack each.
This kind of performance got the Browns the "rookie QB bump" in this week's iteration of power rankings by NFL Spin Zone. A two-week trip into the 30s proved too long, and now the Browns find themselves at #25, their highest ranking since they last occupied that spot following their first "rookie QB bump" after Dillon Gabriel's starting debut in Week 5.
Next week, Browns fans get what they want: more Shedeur Sanders playtime. Kevin Stefanski essentially confirmed that Dillon Gabriel was on the verge of being benched by not reinserting him into the starting lineup now that he has recovered from his injury. The opponent this week will not be another team with eyes on draft position, but rather a playoff contender with big aspirations in the San Francisco 49ers.
If Sanders is able to build on his starting debut with another solid performance, don't be surprised when more and more of those doubters go silent.