One of the clear differences between new Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders and his predecessor, fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, is both the ability and willingness to throw the ball down the field. Gabriel, at just about 6-feet, seemed to lack the stature to see the full field, the arm strength to deliver deep passes and the confidence to make those throws. He attempted seven passes of more than 20 yards in his six starts with the Browns, completing two.
Sanders is 6-foot-2 and has never lacked for confidence, of course. He’s already tried eight deep balls, completing three, including an impressive throw to fellow rookie Isaiah Bond that went for a 52-yard gain and set up the second score of the Raiders‘ 24-10 win.
Now the question is whether the Browns will continue to use Sanders’ deep-ball confidence going forward, including Sunday against the 49ers. One guy who will have a lot to say about that is offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who is in just his fourth week as the play-caller. But he was frustratingly obtuse in addressing the offensive approach.
Shedeur Sanders’ Browns Deep Play ‘Unbelievable Individual Effort’
Rees was asked about the conventional wisdom that suggests that going deep softens a defense and opens up more of the field for the play-caller. But he did not say that was the case in Week 12, instead suggesting the Sanders-to-Bond throw was a right-place/right-time situation that helped settle Sanders down, but little else.
“(Shedeur Sanders) makes an unbelievable individual effort, a great throw off his back foot, gets hit, it’s right where you want it,” Rees said. “They’re playing cover zero, which is an aggressive call. It might have dissuaded them from playing cover zero throughout the game, which again helps our protection moving forward. And then I think for him, it’s kind of like your first start, you’re on the road, like, make that first play and then it kind of settles you into the game.
“So, when you talk, like I look at it through the lens of what does it open up? It probably opens up a little bit of a, you know, confidence and a relief from, okay, made that big play, now let’s focus on moving forward and going to continue to play.”
(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees of the Cleveland Browns
49ers Defense Soft, But Wind Might Hurt Shedeur Sanders
Of course, Sanders and the Browns offense won’t be playing in a vacuum. They’ll be facing a 49ers defense that has a stout reputation but has been shredded by injuries this season and has, in reality, been a shell of itself. The 49ers have allowed 2,901 yards passing this season, 26th in the NFL, as well as giving up 22 touchdowns (26th) and five interceptions (27th).
At Pro Football Focus, the 49ers’ coverage unit ranks just 23rd in the NFL.
That suggests a situation in which the Browns and Sanders should certainly take deep risks. Ah, but there is the weather to consider. Sunday is expected to be cold with some snow, and worse, there are wind gusts of up to 45 mph predicted. Maybe not the time to throw deep.
Browns Mum on Game Plan
Rees said that for the Browns, when it comes to deep calls, it is not so much the quarterback as it is the situation–it’s then up to the quarterback to figure out what to do with the situation.
“I just think throughout the course of the game, sometimes you call the shot versus the coverage you want, and you get it to go, right?” he said.
“Sometimes you don’t and you gotta chuck the ball down and make the right decision. You know, that’s part the of process for our guys, is instilling in them is, hey, these are premier looks that we’re calling these versus and this is what we want them against. And when we have those looks, let’s take a rip. If not, then make the right decision and we’ll call it again.”
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