CLEVELAND, OHIO (TheOBR.com) - Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans!
THE DAILY BLOVIATION
Don't tune out. Tune in. Interesting things are happening.
There's no surer sign of how interested Browns fans are in their team than our "Engaged Minutes" metric that we receive each morning. It shows us that there's been a steady drop in engagement on our forums on Gameday during the last three weeks as fans start tuning out or finding other things to do on Sunday. Maybe everyone is shopping for pumpkin pies. I have no idea. But this is pretty typical of the previous five years (except the Flacco run in 2023) and predictable.
I believe that you're making a mistake if you divert your attention from what's happening in Cleveland.
Sure, the team is 3-8 and well out of the playoffs. But there's a lot to watch here in Cleveland.
First is the epic, dominating, record-setting defense featuring Myles Garrett that was on display during the team's 24-10 pounding of the Oakland Raiders. The Browns sacked poor Geno Smith 10 times, with Myles Garrett accounting for 3 of them. Garrett alone is worth watching as he continues at an unimagined pace through the 2025 season.
Garrett's accomplishments are head-spinning, starting with his 14 sacks over the last five games - a blistering pace that exceeds the record of 12.5 sacks in five games by Michael Strahan 24 years ago. Garrett is on a pace to decimate the NFL's all-time record of 22.5 set by Strahan in 2001. TJ Watt tied it during a longer season while mostly facing right tackles, but erasing Watt's name from the record books will be another reason why Garrett's achievement is one to be cherished.
You could sit there throughout the game, focusing only on Garrett when the defense is on the field, and have a worthwhile use for your three hours on a Sunday. He's absolutely phenomenal, and we have front row seats.
Second is the development of a potentially franchise-altering rookie class. Starting with Mason Graham, the entire class is developing and showing flashes of potential. One weird stat is that yesterday, the Browns were the first team in the Super Bowl era to have five players (Judkins, Sampson, Bond, Fannin, and Sanders) responsible for 40+ yards from scrimmage in the same game.
This doesn't even count the contributions from the first two draft picks, Mason Graham and Carson Schwesinger, on the defensive side, where Graham dominated the middle throughout, as Schwesinger cleaned up whatever rubble remained after the defensive line swung like a wrecking ball through the Raiders' awful offensive line.
Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Third, and most intriguing, was the play of Browns QB Shedeur Sanders during yesterday's game. While Sanders' line (11/20 passing for 209, one TD, one pick) was nothing eye-popping, it's clearly the best debut of a rookie quarterback starting their first game since Baker Mayfield popped onto the scene half a decade ago.
The Browns organization should be applauded for its patience with Sanders, not castigated for not starting him earlier. Sanders has a great touch on his throws, but has demonstrated in two previous games an infuriating tendency to retreat from pressure and to make costly mistakes. It would not be very reasonable to think that those tendencies have been entirely coached out of Sanders, but his performance on Sunday was affirming of his potential.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski doesn't seem convinced he should "Wally Pipp" Dillon Gabriel for having a concussion, as he pushed off questions about it following the game. Still, Sanders' performance is intriguing enough that the Browns should continue to put him in to see what they have before the 2026 NFL off-season. Rookies can be maddeningly inconsistent, and Sanders may not be able to maintain the performance we saw yesterday, but it's enough for this quarterback-starved franchise to evaluate him against other opponents.
I want to see more. Not only of Sanders, but of Garrett, the rookies, and watch this quarterback situation play out. While the Browns aren't going to the playoffs in 2025, they're clearly showing future potential while letting Browns fans bear witness to a generational player whose Hall of Fame induction is nearly assured.
They're three and eight, but I want to see more.
(NOTE: I have other commitments tomorrow, so there probably won't be a bloviation on Tuesday morning)
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
Newswire Bloviation Archive
CLEVELAND BROWNS GOODIES
OBR VIDEOS
Off the Leash: Episode 18: Shedeur shines under bright lights of Las Vegas - (cleveland19.com)
Sanders and Defense lead Browns to victory - (youtube.com)
OBR ARTICLES
Cleveland Browns News and Rumors 11/23: It's International Shedeur Sanders Day. Will you Celebrate? - Barry
OBR Roundtable Browns/Raiders Predictions - Barry
Browns David Njoku, Jack Conklin are Active Starting Bailey Zappe Elevated to Backup Shedeur Sanders - Fred
Cleveland Browns Snap Counts vs Las Vegas Raiders Quick Takeaways - Jack
Takeaways Browns Defense Smothers with 10 Sacks Myles Garrett Gets Three Shedeur Sanders Gets Win in Debut - Fred
In First Start for Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns Beat Las Vegas Raiders from Start to Finish - Pete
MESSAGE BOARD POSTS
ASK THE INSIDERS (VIP)
Shedeur in practice
Do u trust this organization
How pissed is Kev ?
Sanders: Truth 9f Performance?
Am I being too harsh?
Why not name him starter
Price Tag next year
Why not name him starter
Larvadain
Wrights Extension, impact on McGuire
INSIDER DISCUSSION (VIP)
The OFFICIAL Browns-Raiders Insidery Game Thread
THE WATERCOOLER
Off the Leash Channel 19 Post game Analysis of Browns win
13 sacks in last four games
It Has to be Shedeur Right?
The Messianders has arrived
Thoughts on the Game. 112325
Game Balls and Goats!
Shedeur is Him
I guess Sheduer Sanders was ready.
LiveWire Thread for 1123 - Gameday vs. Raiders
Is there a bigger symbol of incompetence than the jersey?
The OFFICIAL Browns vs. Raiders Game Thread
THE LIFT
Positive news from the world of sports and beyond...
Fisherman Creates First Program that Lets Doctors Give Angling Prescriptions for Anxiety – Now Wins King's Award - (goodnewsnetwork.org)
Anxiety is a heck of a thing. I'm a veritable ball of anxiety most days, but this "fishing cure" probably won't work for me. I just don't like anything about fish. I don't like their smell or their taste. Or how they flop around. Or the fact that they exist in water, which I don't know how to breathe. There's literally nothing I like about fish, but sitting by a brook or pond and watching others fish seems relaxing. Sometimes you just need to disconnect. Maybe I should take it up.
WRAPPING UP
When not avoiding seafood, Barry McBride is the Publisher and Founder of the OBR and bloviates this nonsense every morning. You can follow him on Twitter @barrymcbride or write him at barry@theobr.com if you are so compelled.
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