Shedeur Sanders' first 300-yard game not enough as key mistakes prevent Browns from beating Titans

CLEVELAND (AP) — It took only three starts for Shedeur Sanders to get his first 300-yard passing game in the NFL. However, it didn't end up giving the Cleveland Browns a victory.

Sanders passed for 364 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a score, but an interception in the third quarter and a pair of miscues on 2-point conversions loomed large as the Tennessee Titans held on for a 31-29 victory Sunday.

“He fought throughout the game, which we knew he would," coach Kevin Stefanski said. "With any young player, there’s going to ups and downs, and I thought there were some really, really, really good moments. He’ll keep learning from some of the plays that he wants back, but some really good moments.”

Sanders, who fell to the fifth round in the draft, completed 23 of 42 passes. The 364 passing yards are the second-most by a rookie QB picked 144th overall or later since 1966. Jacksonville's Gardner Minshew, the 178th pick in 2019, passed for 374 yards against Carolina.

The NFL said Sanders joined Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow as the only rookie QBs with at least 350 passing yards, three touchdown passes and a rushing score in a game.

He also joined Cam Newton (2011 with Carolina), Tom Ramey (1987 with New England) and Vinny Testaverde (1987 with Tampa Bay) as the only quarterbacks to throw for at least 350 yards and two touchdowns passes along with a rushing TD in at least one of his first three career starts.

It was the 10th 300-yard game by a Browns rookie QB, and the first since Baker Mayfield had 376 yards in the 2018 regular-season finale at Baltimore.

The Browns had four pass plays of at least 30 yards, their most since last year's Monday night game at Denver in Week 13. In three starts, Sanders has eight of the Browns' 10 pass plays of at least 30 yards.

Sanders’ father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, was in attendance. Coach Prime was at his son’s first NFL start on Nov. 23 at Las Vegas, but missed last week’s home game against San Francisco.

Sanders' best pass of the day was a 60-yard touchdown to Jerry Jeudy with 2:47 remaining in the second quarter to put the Browns up 17-14. Sanders threw a well-timed ball on a post route to Jeudy, who hauled it in at the Titans 41 and outraced Darrell Baker and Amani Hooker to the end zone.

It also showed that Sanders and Jeudy are developing more of a rapport after the two had a sideline spat last week against San Francisco that was shown on television.

“Obviously me and Jerry had that dispute or whatever last week. But I have faith in him, he has faith in me, and everybody put everything aside,” Sanders said. “It was truly exciting being able to connect with him, because I know the season hasn’t gone the way he wanted to this year."

Sanders was 9 of 14 for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He struggled in the third quarter, going 3 of 10 for 47 yards and an interception before nearly rallying Cleveland in the fourth with a rushing touchdown and a 7-yard TD pass to Harold Fannin Jr. after falling behind 31-17.

Besides the interception, which came on a scramble and was just heaved into the middle of the field before it was picked off, Sanders fumbled the exchange from center Luke Wypler on the first 2-point attempt. Wypler came in at center during the third quarter after starter Ethan Pocic suffered what could be a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.

Sanders, though, was not on the field for the second and potential tying 2-point conversion. Running back Quinshon Judkins lined up to take the direct snap and appeared as if he was going to pitch it to wide receiver Gage Larvadain on an end around.

The pitch never happened, and Judkins' pass was batted away, allowing the Titans to hold on for only their second win of the season.

“I would wish I would always have the ball in my hand, but that’s not what football is,” Sanders said. "I know we practiced something, and we executed it in practice, and we just didn’t seem to this day. So, I would never go against, you know, kind of like what the call was or anything.”

Cam Ward, the top pick in April's draft, saw Sanders on the field postgame after the two trained together leading up to the draft.

Other Titans also were impressed with Sanders' performance, which happened on a snowy day on Cleveland's lakefront with conditions not suitable for passing.

“He’s a competitor, man. He’s been a competitor his whole life," defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said. "I told him that’s his team now, and you’re going to be a star in this league.”

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Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward, left, and Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) greet each other after an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throws a pass under pressure from Tennessee Titans defenders in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Browns' Shedeur Sanders (12) and Teven Jenkins (74) celebrate a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) runs the ball for a touchdown as Tennessee Titans defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat (93) gives chase in the second half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) visits with his father Deion Sanders, right, during warmups before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — This wasn't a typical Broncos game. For the first time this season, they didn't trail, and the final minutes were not overly stressful.

What was typical? They won again.

Bo Nix passed for 212 yards and rushed for a touchdown, and Denver extended its winning streak to 10 games, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 24-17 on Sunday, a score that wasn't reflective of the Broncos' dominance.

“It did not feel like some of these other (games) recently,” coach Sean Payton said. “My headset was off earlier.”

The Raiders lost quarterback Geno Smith, who injured his right hand and shoulder in the third quarter and was replaced by Kenny Pickett. Las Vegas coach Pete Carroll said Smith's hand was cut and his shoulder “really locked up” but there didn't appear to be significant damage.

The Broncos (11-2) appear to be on the verge of ending Kansas City's nine-year reign in the AFC West, and they tied idle New England for the top seed in the conference. Denver owns the tiebreaker because of its 6-0 record against common opponents; the Patriots lost to the Raiders.

The Broncos ended their NFL record of rallying for nine consecutive victories — this time, they only had to pull away from an early 7-7 tie. Denver has its best record through 13 games since 2013.

The Broncos have their skeptics, however, given how many victories they've had to eke out, and beating up on the free-falling Raiders likely won't silence the doubters.

“Ten in a row's a long streak,” Nix said. “You want to be appreciative of this opportunity and appreciative of the wins no matter how they come. But at the same time, we're always looking to get better.”

The Raiders (2-11) have lost seven in a row and 11 of 12. Las Vegas also has lost 11 consecutive divisional games, the league's longest active skid.

Statistics pointed to a potential mismatch with the Broncos bringing in a top-five defense against a Raiders offense that's at or near the bottom of several statistical categories. Denver held the ball for 39:03 and gained 356 yards with 27 first downs. The Raiders had 229 yards and 16 first downs.

Nix was highly efficient, completing 31 of 38 passes.

Nik Bonitto had two sacks, giving him 12 1/2 for the season. He is the first Denver player with double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons since Von Miller did it five straight times from 2014-18.

Smith was 13 of 21 for 116 yards and a touchdown. Pickett completed 8 of 11 passes for 96 yards and a TD.

“I've seen a lot of Kenny in practice,” Carroll said. “He's active, he's quick, he's really athletic, he's a good thinker, he's clearly a competitive guy. I see nothing but positive stuff. I'm coaching the hell out of him because I want him to be ready if the opportunity pops.”

Maxx Crosby had two tackles for loss, giving him 25 for the season to break his team record of 23 set three years ago.

Each team had just one possession in the first quarter — and made them count.

The Broncos opened with a 14-play, 81-yard drive that took 8:54, with Nix running in from 8 yards to complete the series. Then the Raiders took the remaining time off the clock, with Smith hitting Brock Bowers for a 15-yard TD.

That was the first opening-series touchdown the Broncos have allowed this season. It also was the first opening Las Vegas drive to go the distance since the first game at New England.

Both offenses had their difficulties in the second quarter, with the only score coming on a 48-yard punt return for a touchdown by Denver's Marvin Mims Jr.

RJ Harvey's 3-yard scoring run late in the third period gave Denver what seemed like an almost insurmountable two-touchdown lead. Harvey has five TD runs this season and four through the air.

Daniel Carlson's 46-yard field goal on the final play gave a particularly nasty beat to Broncos bettors. Denver was favored by 7 1/2 points at BetMGM Sportsbook.

Carlson would never have had a shot at the field goal if Broncos safety Brandon Jones hadn't drawn a delay-of-game penalty for not allowing wide receiver Tyler Lockett to get up after a 26-yard gain. That penalty stopped the clock with 5 seconds remaining.

“We're going to run the clock out,” Payton said. “That wasn't real smart.”

Broncos: DT D.J. Jones (ankle) and TE Nate Adkins (knee) did not play.

Raiders: CB Kyu Blu Kelly (knee), who leads the team with three interceptions, was injured early in the second quarter. ... TE Ian Thomas (calf) was hurt in the fourth quarter. ... TE Michael Mayer (ankle) and WRs Alex Bachman (thumb) and Dont’e Thornton Jr. (concussion) did not play.

Broncos: Host Green Bay next Sunday.

Raiders: Visit Philadelphia next Sunday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, middle, is carted off the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Las Vegas, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) passes against the Denver Broncos during the first half of an NFL football game in Las Vegas, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) passes against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Las Vegas, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) scores in front of Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) during the first half of an NFL football game in Las Vegas, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)

Denver Broncos' Marvin Mims Jr., middle, is congratulated by teammates after returning a punt for a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Las Vegas, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)