The last time the Browns faced QB Gardner Minshew, in Week 7 of the 2023 season, they allowed the then-Colts starting quarterback to throw two touchdown passes, adding another pair of scores on the ground.
"We've seen him firsthand last season in Indianapolis, he made a ton of plays" head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "He's a playmaker who has played a lot in this league, has seen a lot in this league, has great skill players around him."
Minshew and the Colts were stopped short of a victory, but the quarterback gained the respect of the Cleveland defense.
"He's a scrappy guy. I think Minshew is a warrior type of guy, and he'll do what it takes," LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah said. "Those guys are the guys that sometimes you have to be really, really ready for. When it comes to the game of football, it's a tempo game and also a game of momentum and once he gets that momentum, it's tough to stop."
Minshew is on a new team this year, taking over as the signal caller for the Raiders, who the Browns will face this Sunday in Week 4.
The Raiders, like the Browns, have started the season with one win and two losses, defeating the Ravens in Week 2 before falling to the then-winless Panthers 36-22 in Week 3.
Minshew threw one touchdown pass and one interception against the Panthers, holding an 84.5 passer rating. The six-year veteran struggled against the blitz, completing four of his seven passing attempts for 25 yards when the Panthers brought additional pass rushers.
For Cleveland, pressuring Minshew will be important, especially given the arsenal of pass catchers he has at his disposal.
"He gets the ball out fast," Owusu-Koramoah said. "And that's always good, especially when you have options like he does."
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Las Vegas Raiders at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
The linebackers during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Fullback/Center Nick Harris (53) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive tackle Siaki Ika (62) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez (60) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Cornerback Tony Brown II (38) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez (60) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Ricky Lee III (63) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Roy Mbaeteka (61) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive end Elerson Smith (52) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez (60) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Linebacker Khaleke Hudson (39) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Linebacker Michael Barrett (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Ricky Lee III (63) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Pass Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach Chad O'Shea during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Dale Jones during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Pass Game Specialist/Tight Ends Coach Tommy Rees during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Defensive end Elerson Smith (52) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Three-time All-Pro WR Davante Adams is one of those weapons and is already off to a hot start on the season with 209 receiving yards and a touchdown. Adams came in clutch in the Raiders' win over the Ravens, catching a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to cap off a 110-yard performance.
"He's one of the best receivers in the league," CB Denzel Ward said. "His route-running ability, he's just a great player. He gets the ball in his hands and is able to make a play. He's one of those guys they're going to target a lot I'm sure, and like I said, we're ready to take on that challenge."
Another Raiders pass catcher who could make an impact doesn't yet have the resume of Adams but has already made NFL history.
Rookie TE Brock Bowers, who the Raiders took in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, broke the NFL record for the most receiving yards in a rookie tight end's first two games with 156, passing Hall of Famer Mike Ditka.
Bowers' speed and ability to run after the catch makes him a threat on Sunday.
"He's a fast tight end, first of all," Owusu-Koramoah said of Bowers. "He's physical. He blocks well. He runs routes well. Just about everything. He's an all-around tight end and we're looking forward to the challenge."
Where Las Vegas has struggled at times this season is in their rushing attack. Through the first three games of the season, the Raiders have averaged 51 rushing yards per game, the lowest rate in the NFL by over 20 yards.
On the flipside, the Browns have allowed an average of 113.7 rushing yards per game, the 13th-fewest in the NFL. The Giants ran for 112 yards last week, including a 43-yard rush from RB Devin Singletary to effectively ice the win for New York.
Singletary's rush was one of nine explosive runs the Browns have allowed this season, something Owusu-Koramoah said would be important to limit going forward.
"Obviously that last run there, we could have got a stop and [the offense] may have got the ball back," Owusu-Koramoah said.
The Browns defense performed well in the second half against the Giants but allowed 21 points in the first half. Owusu-Koramoah said that the Browns defense hopes to put together a better first-half performance in Las Vegas this week.
"It's just about starting fast," Owusu-Koramoah said. "As each game goes on, we're learning more as we go. So, we see the progression, just understanding fighting back whether it's some of the hills that we hit. Obviously there in the second half was a little bit better than the first half."
The Browns will take on the Raiders in Las Vegas at 4:25 p.m. EST on Sunday.
