Raiders at Cleveland Browns: Game preview and prediction in Week 15
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders hit the road to take on the Cleveland Browns in Week 15, and here is our game preview and prediction for the matchup.
It has been an absolute nightmare for the Las Vegas Raiders since the bye week, as they went into the break with a 5-2 record, and looked like a legitimate contender in the AFC. Then came the break, and we all know what happened there, from Henry Ruggs III to losing to the New York Giants on the road.
Since getting out to the 5-2 start, the Raiders have won only one game since and currently go into their matchup on Saturday with the Browns at 6-7. They have been atrocious on both sides of the ball, but luckily for them, they are certainly getting the Browns at the right time, as they have been ravaged by COVID-19 in recent days.
While Cleveland struggles to put a full team on the field, the Raiders will be going up against some adversity of their own, as Derek Carr and this offense struggles in cold, wet weather. The weather in Cleveland Saturday is going to be tough for Las Vegas, which could end up stalling this offense in a big way.
Raiders beat COVID-19 ravaged Browns on Saturday
Despite Carr’s struggles in the passing game in the cold, they have to be able to beat a Browns team missing 14 players due to COVID protocols. New COVID rules passed this week state that vaccinated players who test negative can come back, even in time for Saturday’s game, so we will see which Browns are actually out come kickoff.
Even with some players back, I like the Raiders’ chances in this one, as it is a make-or-break game for the season, certain personnel, and Carr. If the Raiders have nothing to play for down the stretch, there have been some reports that Carr could head to the bench in favor of Marcus Mariota, though we do not see that happening.
The Raiders have to win this game to stay alive in the AFC Playoff race, and while that may seem like a joke to some people, the conference is wide open in terms of the Wild Card spots. Maybe the Silver and Black can finish on a high note for once, but if they cannot beat a Browns team with so many players out, it may be time to start thinking about next April’s first round.
Prediction: Raiders 24, Browns 17