The Raiders’ trip to Cleveland in Week 12 of the 2026 season might look like just another late-year game between two teams that could already be out of the picture. But there’s at least one scenario that gives it some juice: Shedeur Sanders against Fernando Mendoza.
That’s the kind of matchup Ryan O’Leary, the site expert at DawgPoundDaily, thinks could make a Browns-Raiders game worth circling. In a season where both franchises are working through rebuilds and both have first-year head coaches, the quarterback angle could turn a forgettable meeting into something fans actually want to watch.
The setup is a little strange, and a little funny. The Raiders were embarrassed by the Sanders-led Browns in Week 12 of the 2025 season, a loss so ugly it helped get Chip Kelly fired.
Now the NFL has handed them the same Week 12 slot again, this time in Cleveland. On paper, it’s the kind of matchup that could feel routine.
In practice, there’s more going on than that.
Cleveland’s offseason has already taken a sharp turn with the Myles Garrett trade, and O’Leary said the reaction around the team has been better than many expected. “The vibes after the Myles Garrett trade have been surprisingly positive,” he said.
He added that there was “never going to be a perfect return for Garrett,” but called the Rams’ offer “about as close to the peak as it’s going to get,” especially with Garrett now in his 30s. O’Leary also pointed to Jared Verse as a premium young player on a rookie deal and said the extra first-round pick in 2027 should help the Browns chase one of the top quarterback prospects on their board.
He didn’t ignore the awkwardness of moving Garrett right after hiring a new head coach, either. Still, he said Browns fans quickly embraced the youth movement, calling that a win for GM Andrew Berry.
That new head coach is Todd Monken, and O’Leary likes the way he’s handled the job so far. Monken was brought in while the Jim Schwartz situation was still hanging over the team, and O’Leary noted that Garrett had only sent text messages before the June 1 trade.
Even so, Monken has stepped into the role as a 60-year-old first-time NFL head coach with a young roster and, in O’Leary’s view, has made a strong first impression. He described Monken as “the anti-Kevin Stefanski” because of his direct messaging and no-nonsense approach.
The quarterback situation is still unsettled, but O’Leary believes the Browns’ decision not to bring in another veteran says plenty. Deshaun Watson looks like the preferred bridge option to open 2026, even though O’Leary said that makes no sense beyond the fact that Watson is owed $46 million guaranteed this season.
Sanders, meanwhile, is viewed as the player Cleveland should be developing, since he’s under contract through 2028 at a team-friendly number. O’Leary’s read is that Watson starts the season, but Sanders is in the lineup by Week 12 at the latest, much like last year.
As for the roster itself, Cleveland has put real effort into building around young talent, especially on offense. But O’Leary said the defense is still the Browns’ strongest area, with the secondary leading the way.
He pointed to Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell as two of the stickiest boundary corners in football, and said Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman both played well in 2025 and are back in the starting lineup. The Browns will be adjusting under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg, but with Verse, Mason Graham and 2026 draft pick Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the mix, O’Leary expects them to remain one of the league’s best defensive groups.
There is, though, a spot the Raiders could target if things line up that way. O’Leary said that if the season started today, Cleveland would likely be starting rookie Spencer Fano at left tackle, even though he hasn’t played on the left side since his first college season at Utah in 2023.
He also said there’s a real chance multiple rookie linemen are in the lineup later in the season, with Austin Barber competing for work at right guard and swing tackle, and Parker Brailsford in position to win the center job. For Maxx Crosby and the Raiders’ pass rush, that’s the kind of opening that could matter.
Still, O’Leary made clear that the most interesting version of this game isn’t Watson against Kirk Cousins. “No offense to the vets, but a potential Deshaun Watson vs.
Kirk Cousins matchup would be rather lame,” he said. With neither team built for a championship run this season, he thinks the real goal by Week 12 should be development.
And if that means Sanders versus Mendoza, then even a matchup that looks ordinary on the schedule could end up being the one people actually tune in for.
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