The Cleveland Browns earned their second victory of the season, and Dillon Gabriel earned the first win of his NFL career, in a rout of the Miami Dolphins Sunday — but that didn’t stop the deluge of Monday morning quarterbacking that still flowed Cleveland’s way.
Gabriel finished the afternoon 13-of-18 passing for 116 yards. He threw neither a touchdown or an interception. Instead, running back Quinshon Judkins spearheaded the charge with 25 carries for 84 yards and three scores, while the Browns defense held the Dolphins to just six points in a 25-point win.
Aaron Goldhammer of ESPN Cleveland gave a detailed take on why he would have liked to see Shedeur Sanders get a few reps at the end of the game, but also why he understood Kevin Stefanski’s position.
“I was hoping for [Sanders to get in],” Goldhammer’s “Really Big Show” co-host Tony Rizzo said.
“What more is Dillon Gabriel gonna prove? If you’re making a list of people who helped you win that game, Dillon Gabriel comes in what, 33rd, right behind [punter] Corey Bojorquez?” Goldhammer asked rhetorically. “So, I would have maybe given Shedeur just a little feel of what it’s like to be out there.”
“But I agree with what Tony Grossi said on the postgame show, which was Stefanski wanted to let Dillon finish his first win,” Goldhammer continued. “If Shedeur goes in there and leads a touchdown drive, all of a sudden you’ve just brought up a quarterback controversy out of nowhere. So, I understand why they didn’t do it. I probably would have done it.”
Shedeur Sanders Working Hard in Wings While Waiting for His Shot
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders is likely to start at some point this season, regardless of Gabriel’s play.
First, ownership wants to see what Sanders can do ahead of the 2026 draft, in which Cleveland picks twice in the first round alone. Second, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com offered some insider information Sunday suggesting that Sanders’ is doing himself favors with his attitude and work ethic behind the scenes.
“Myles Garrett also revealed recently that he sees Sanders working with Kevin Stefanski in his office in the early morning hours, which means he’s putting in the extra work. It’s showing up on the practice field, and the Browns are eager to see what he can do this season when the time comes,” Cabot wrote October 19. “The Browns will give Dillon Gabriel a decent on-ramp, but there will probably come a time in the second half of the season where the Browns will want to see Sanders play.”
Dillon Gabriel Has Proven Himself Solid Game Manager, Hasn’t Yet Shown He Can Be Dynamic
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Gabriel has been precisely what the majority of analysts expected him to be during his rookie season, a game-manager who is operating a simplified version of the offense and doing everything in how power not to lose games.
He is 1-2 in three starts (five total appearances) and has completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 546 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Cleveland demolished Miami on Sunday and played the Minnesota Vikings closely during a Week 5 contest in London, during which Gabriel played the best game of his rookie season.
Gabriel has not thrown a TD or an INT in either of the past two contests, though he has taken eight sacks. At some point, the third-round rookie will probably want to air the football out a bit more, as Sanders has the type of skill set and personality that encourage taking shots and looking for big plays in the pass game.
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