The Las Vegas Raiders, for a team playing a fourth-place schedule, haven't had the easiest set of opponents during the 2025 NFL season. Of the 10 games that they've played, seven of them have come against teams that are currently .500 or better.
That's no excuse for Las Vegas, as they've been blown out by several of these teams and thoroughly beaten themselves against others. But they finally get a reprieve from that daunting schedule in Week 12, as they'll face the 2-8 Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.
Getting to face Shedeur Sanders is a big boost for the Raiders' defense and increases their shot at winning. Cleveland is not devoid of talent, however, as they have a solid group of young running backs and the obvious front-runner for the Defensive Player of the Year award in Myles Garrett.
Las Vegas, weirdly enough, however, finds itself in a position where it can't afford to lose on Sunday, but it can't really afford to win either.
Both winning and losing could come at a cost for Raiders vs. Browns
If the Raiders can pull out a win against the Browns, that would be great for morale both in the locker room and within the fan base. Winning cures everything, even if just for a little while. This is especially true if Las Vegas' young players can have a solid outing, which would provide hope for the future.
Raider Nation should also be advised, however, that winning may come at a cost. If the season ended right now, Las Vegas would have the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to Tankathon.com. A loss on Sunday would guarantee them a spot in the top five, at least for now.
A win, however, could plummet them back as far as the No. 10 pick. In an already lost season, the fan base is more concerned with how things look, particularly the rookie class and future stars, than with the results. It doesn't matter if the team wins two or seven games if they don't make the playoffs.
But it does matter for draft position. With another 2-8 team on the docket in Week 12, this matchup could have massive implications when it comes to the draft order next April. In fact, a win on Sunday could permanently take them out of the running for a top college quarterback.
The satisfaction of beating the Browns would almost immediately be wiped away by the realization that a player of Fernando Mendoza or Ty Simpson's caliber could now easily land in Cleveland, but not necessarily in Las Vegas.
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Losing, however, would also have its positives and negatives. On the one hand, a home defeat at the hands of the Shedeur Sanders-led Browns would be demoralizing, and it would likely mark a new low point in a season full of valleys.
It would also drum up quite a bit of controversy about the team's decision to pass on Sanders seven times during the NFL Draft. Even if he doesn't perform particularly well, his having a head-to-head win against Geno Smith would ignite the fan base.
On the other hand, losing might be the final straw for owner Mark Davis. Not only would a defeat preserve the Raiders' high draft position, but dropping a game to a 2-8 opponent with its backup quarterback at Allegiant Stadium may spur some major organizational changes.
They may not happen immediately, but Davis and Co. could easily put their fingers on a game like this down the line as reasoning for parting ways with Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, or both. In that way, a loss would be a win for Raider Nation, who are largely out on these two, even if the gratification is delayed.
To sum up, a win could provide a morale boost, but it would hurt Las Vegas' draft position, and therefore their chances of finding their future quarterback. A loss, while humiliating, would keep them near the top of the draft board and could be the straw that broke the camel's back for the Raiders.
This is not a fun position for the Silver and Black to be in, nor for their fan base. In fact, it may defy one of Al Davis' defining principles for the franchise. But such is the state of the Raiders in 2025, where winning can be a bad thing, and losing could be a good thing.