The Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 NFL season was practically one big valley, sandwiched between two minor hills in the season opener and finale. But perhaps their lowest point came in Week 12 when the Shedeur Sanders-led Cleveland Browns put a whooping on them. It was unbelievably demoralizing.
While this lifeless performance did get Chip Kelly fired, it was a sign of just how lost the Silver and Black were. So what did the NFL do? Schedule another Week 12 matchup between the Raiders and Browns in Cleveland for the 2026 NFL season. Sometimes, you just have to laugh.
And this may seem like yet another mundane matchup for Las Vegas at a point in the year in which both teams have likely been long eliminated. At least fans can hope things are just that boring and not cruel or embarrassing. But this game could have a fun element or two, as it turns out.
In the 12th installment of our 2026 Raiders opponent previews, we spoke with Ryan O'Leary, the site expert at DawgPoundDaily, FanSided's dedicated Browns page. He pointed out that a contest between Sanders and Fernando Mendoza would be quite fun for both sides to observe.
Factor in that both franchises have first-year head coaches and a ton of promising young pieces in their respective rebuilds, and there may be a handful of fun twists in what most may already be writing off as a particularly boring late-season matchup.
Las Vegas Raiders' game against Cleveland Browns has more than meets the eye
Q: We have to start with the blockbuster Myles Garrett trade. What have the vibes been like in Cleveland in the aftermath, and how much of a consolation prize is Jared Verse?
A: The vibes after the Myles Garrett trade have been surprisingly positive. There was never going to be a perfect return for Garrett, but the Rams’ offer was about as close to the peak as it’s going to get, especially with Garrett now in his 30s. Verse is a premium young player on a cost-controlled rookie contract, and the extra first-round pick in 2027 should help the Browns land one of the top quarterback prospects on their board. Garrett’s contract aged incredibly well after his 2025 extension, and the optics of trading your best player immediately after hiring a new head coach are rough. But it didn’t take long at all for Browns fans to accept the Garrett trade and completely buy into the team’s current youth movement. That’s a win for GM Andrew Berry.
Q: Todd Monken is now at the helm. How has the new era been thus far, and do the fans have a lot of faith in him as the answer at the HC spot?
A: Monken has done impressive work managing what has been an awkward situation from the start. He was hired amid all the Jim Schwartz drama, and never got more than some text messages from Garrett before the trade on June 1. He’s now a 60-year-old, first-time NFL head coach who’s being tasked with leading one of the youngest rosters in football. He has acquitted himself well, though, proving to be the anti-Kevin Stefanski with his straightforward messaging and no-nonsense style. His vibe has been refreshing and has Browns fans optimistic.
Q: What's the latest on the QB battle for the Browns? Who do you think will be starting by the time Week 12's game against the Raiders rolls around?
A: The Browns' declining to add another veteran quarterback to the roster this offseason kind of showed their hand. Deshaun Watson appears to be their preferred bridge option for 2026, at least for Week 1. It’s a move that makes no sense for the franchise, outside of the fact that he’ll make $46 million guaranteed this season, whether or not he plays. They obviously should be looking to evaluate Shedeur Sanders further this season, as he’s under contract at a team-friendly bargain through 2028 and could be a valuable backup, at the very least. The guess here is that Watson starts the season, but similar to last year, Sanders is starting games by Week 12 at the latest.
Q: Cleveland has built a pretty strong young core of skill position players. Would you say that is the team's biggest strength? If not, what is?
A: The Browns have done an excellent job infusing the roster with young talent in recent seasons, especially on offense. But even after trading Garrett, their strength lies on defense, with the secondary now at the forefront. Cleveland is set to deploy two of the stickiest boundary corners in football in Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell. Their safety duo, Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman, were both excellent in 2025 and will be back in the starting lineup this season. The Browns will need to reinvent themselves under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg, but when you add Verse, young defensive tackle Mason Graham, and 2026 draft pick Emmanuel McNeil-Warren to the conversation, the Browns should continue to rank among the league’s best on that side of the ball.
Q: Do the Browns have a glaring weakness or an area that the Raiders could attack so as to tip the scales in this matchup?
A: We’ll see where things stand by Week 12, but if the season started today, the Browns would likely be starting a rookie at left tackle in Spencer Fano — who hasn’t played a snap on the left side since his first collegiate season in Utah in 2023. In fact, there’s a strong chance that the Browns have multiple rookie linemen in the starting lineup by the second half of the season, as third-round pick Austin Barber is currently competing for reps at right guard and swing tackle, and fifth-rounder Parker Brailsford has a chance to win the starting center job outright. Maxx Crosby and company could be licking their chops.
Q: Would you rather face Fernando Mendoza or Kirk Cousins?
A: No offense to the vets, but a potential Deshaun Watson vs. Kirk Cousins matchup would be rather lame. Neither of these teams will be competing for championships this season. The goal by Week 12 should be about developing young talent. Here’s hoping we see a Shedeur Sanders vs. Fernando Mendoza matchup. It wouldn’t get prime-time treatment, but casual NFL fans would have no choice but to tune into that one.
Other Las Vegas Raiders 2026 season previews:
Week 1 - Miami Dolphins
Weeks 2&14 -Â Los Angeles Chargers
Week 3 - New Orleans Saints
Week 4 - Kansas City Chiefs
Week 5 - New England Patriots
Week 6 - Buffalo Bills
Week 7 - Los Angeles Rams
Week 8 - New York Jets
Week 9 - San Francisco 49ers
Week 10 - Seattle Seahawks
Week 11&15 - Denver Broncos
Week 16 - Tennessee Titans (Coming Soon)
Week 17 - Arizona Cardinals (Coming Soon)
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