The Cleveland Browns did not give a straight answer on whether Shedeur Sanders will start next week after leading the team to victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in his debut.
Sanders became the first Browns rookie to win his debut since 1995. He executed what he needed to do in the victory and had a handful of dynamic plays. Sanders finished with 209 yards on 11-of-20 passing with a touchdown and an interception.
His biggest throw of the day came in the first quarter. After scrambling away from pressure, Sanders found Isaiah Bond downfield on a 52-yard pass. Sanders’ touchdown pass came on a quick throw to Dylan Sampson, who caught the ball and accelerated for 66 yards for a touchdown.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski did not commit to Sanders after the win.
“I’m proud of him. Proud of this offense. A ton of things to learn from, but I’m just going to worry about today,” Stefanski said.
Stefanski had said previously that the job would be Gabriel’s once he returned from the concussion. But the team will have to reconsider after Sanders’ starting debut.
Gabriel did little to establish himself as the unquestioned starter. He went 1-5 in his starts, passing for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Wanted to Make Statement
Sanders became the 42nd starting quarterback for the Browns since 1999. Ahead of his debut, Sanders said he didn’t want to just be serviceable. He wanted to send a message that he could be “the guy” moving forward for Cleveland.
“I know our fans have a lot of expectations and hope, and I would be doing a disservice to myself and disservice to the organization if I didn’t feel like I am the guy,” Sanders said. “I’m doing everything I need to prepare to be the best version of myself as possible. With the circumstances, everything got me sped up, and that’s great – you know, I like pressure in life. I’m just excited for everything. So, I feel like I’m the guy, I know I’m the guy, but you just have to be able to see. The game got to speak.”
He doubled down on that message just ahead of the Week 12 matchup in his pre-game interview.
“I’m who they been looking for,” Sanders told CBS.
Shedeur Sanders Thankful for Opportunity With Browns
Many don’t see it as a tough decision for the Browns. While not perfect, Sanders led the offense with confidence and poise. The rookie was thankful for the opportunity after picking up the win.
“God is the only way I made it through it. The last six or seven months have been extremely hard,” said Sanders, who slipped from a projected first-round pick to the fifth round in the draft. “Before going into the game, I didn’t feel nervous. I didn’t feel anything. I did as much work as I could during the week to make Sunday fun. I love how the offense line embraced me and understood I’m only about business. I’m thankful I was able to get a win for the Browns.”
So does Sanders think he should remain the starter?
“I think I showed a couple of great pieces. A few things I wish I could get back. A win is crazy. And off just one week of practice,” Sanders said. “Imagine what a full offseason looks like. It gets dangerous.”
Sanders and the Browns face a stiffer test next week as they host the San Francisco 49ers.
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