LAS VEGAS — In his first career NFL start, highly publicized rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders did just enough to push the Cleveland Browns to their first road win of the season with a 24-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Sanders mostly stayed out of trouble in his debut, completing 11 of 20 for 209 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The 23-year-old threw his first career touchdown pass with 8:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, connecting with running back Dylan Sampson on a screen pass that Sampson promptly ran 66 yards into the end zone.
The star of the show throughout Sunday’s game, however, was Cleveland’s defensive front. The Browns tallied 10 sacks, completely stifling a Raiders offense that has struggled to find a rhythm all season.
Due largely to the constant pressure from the Browns’ pass rush, Raiders quarterback Geno Smith seemed unable to deliver a timely throw throughout the game. Wide receiver Tre Tucker created separation and was open deep downfield multiple times, and each time Smith’s throw sailed past his target.
All in all, Smith completed 30 of 44 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown in the loss. He managed to avoid extending his league-leading interception total, but the frustration was all the same. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty had another inefficient afternoon on the ground, gaining just 50 yards on 17 carries for an average of 2.9 yards per carry.
Sanders’ most impressive play was a 52-yard completion to fellow rookie Isaiah Bond that set up Cleveland’s second touchdown. Sanders escaped the Raiders’ pass rush and threw a deep pass rolling right that traveled around 55 yards in the air before being caught. Judkins capped the drive with his second rushing touchdown out of the wildcat formation from two yards out.
The Raiders’ scoring output was a 41-yard field goal from kicker Daniel Carlson in the second quarter and a late five-yard connection from Smith to Jeanty in fourth-quarter garbage time. The field goal was set up by Sanders’ only glaring mistake of the game, an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by Raiders defensive end Charles Snowden.
The Browns opened the scoring on an eight-yard touchdown run by rookie Quinshon Judkins out of the wildcat formation. Judkins’ touchdown wrapped up a short two-play, 13-yard drive that was set up by a 44-yard punt return by Gage Larvadain with an additional 14 yards tacked on due to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Raiders punter AJ Cole at the end of the play.
Judkins finished with 47 yards on 16 carries in addition to those two touchdowns.
