Shedeur Sanders Has a Tough First Game in Browns’ Loss

The Cleveland Browns didn’t get the boost they hoped for when rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders took the field on Sunday. Instead, the team struggled to find any rhythm in a 23–16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Sanders entered the game after starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel left with a concussion, giving the rookie his first real NFL action with the main offense.

Shedeur Sanders had a rough debut. He completed only 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards and threw one interception. He was also sacked twice and lost a fumble, though the Browns recovered it. Cleveland didn’t score any points while he was running the offense. His passer rating was a very low 13.5, showing how tough his day was.

Shedeur Sanders didn’t try to hide it.

“I don’t think I played good at all,” he said after the game. “There are a lot of things I need to look at this week. I also need to get more comfortable throwing to all the guys. Those were my first passes to them all year.”

Gabriel had played well before his injury, completing 7 of 10 passes for 68 yards. He appeared to get hurt late in the second quarter, and Shedeur Sanders took over to start the third. Gabriel was officially ruled out a few minutes later.

The Browns have had plenty of quarterback changes this season. They started training camp with four quarterbacks: Gabriel, Sanders, Kenny Pickett, and Joe Flacco. Pickett was traded to the Raiders before the season started. Flacco began the season as the starter but was traded to the Bengals on Oct. 7, two days after Gabriel took over the job.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Gabriel will start next week against the Raiders if he clears concussion protocol. “Yes, but there’s obviously a process he has to go through,” Stefanski said.

Stefanski also backed Sanders, saying the rookie stepped into a tough spot. “We trust our guys,” he said. “Coming in as the backup isn’t easy, but we trust him. There are things he’ll want to fix, and that’s what we work on.”

Shedeur Sanders, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, said he plans to spend extra time throwing with the team’s receivers and tight ends this week. He hopes for another chance to prove himself.

“They gave me the opportunity,” he said. “I didn’t play the way I wanted, and I didn’t do enough to help us win. But I’m ready for the next chance.”

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