Will Shedeur Sanders keep starting for Browns? What Kevin Stefanski said after rookie QB leads Cleveland past Raiders

David Suggs

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Will Shedeur Sanders keep starting for Browns? What Kevin Stefanski said after rookie QB leads Cleveland past Raiders image

Shedeur Sanders was far from perfect in his first NFL start vs. The Raiders. The Browns QB threw an interception, falling victim to a clever bit of chicanery from Las Vegas defensive end Charles Snowden. He didn't enjoy the most efficient of performances, either, only barely completing more than half of his passes.

He didn't have to be infallible, though. In fact, Cleveland needed little more than steadiness from its hurler to secure a win against a weary Las Vegas bunch.

For all of the clamor surrounding Sanders' place at the top of the Browns' depth chart, he enjoyed a solid, if unspectacular showcase. There were the highs, spearheaded by a 66-yard touchdown to Dylan Sampson. There were lows, too, including Snowden's pick and a handful of other errant throws.

Nevertheless, Sanders did enough to help the Browns record a 24-10 win on Sunday afternoon, just the third of their season. Suffice to say, the Cleveland rookie embraced the spotlight while speaking with reporters upon the conclusion of the game.

Did Sanders do enough to cement his place as Browns starter for the foreseeable future? Only time will tell. Here's what he and his head coach, Kevin Stefanski, had to say following Cleveland's win on Sunday evening.

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Will Shedeur Sanders keep starting for Browns?

It's unclear whether Sanders will definitively start for the Browns going forward. Head coach Kevin Stefanski was noncommittal during his postgame presser, telling reporters that he was "not going to get into that."

“Obviously, proud of him and proud of this offense and there are a ton of things to learn from, but I’m just going to worry about today," Stefanski said.

Stefanki said he would employ a patient approach to figuring out who would take reins of Cleveland's offense in the weeks to come. But for now, things remain up in the air -- although it's hard to imagine Sanders did much harm to his chances of maintaining his place in the QB1 spot for another week.

Shedeur Sanders postgame press conference

Sanders was reflective in the moments following his first start. He revealed that he felt relaxed heading into the game, having already visualized his success while preparing for Sunday's matchup.

"I'm not going to lie, I felt very relaxed, very relaxed," Sanders said. "And half of that comes from preparing, studying and knowing I got God on my side. So, throughout all that, I had no worries, I didn't feel nervous or anything before the game. He took all my worries and everything away."

Sanders said he was a bit "off-balance" as a backup, opting to avoid the spotlight in the hopes of keeping the peace in the QB room in Cleveland. He felt his mentality has endeared him to his veterans, making his full debut all the more sweeter.

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"The fact that I got an opportunity and I was able to show the organization who I really am, then and now is truly exciting," Sanders said. "I was off-balance for a little bit, the past couple months of my life. It was different but I'm thankful to be back where I am."

Sanders' first appearance was filled with miscues. The Cleveland rookie was sacked five times and completed just four passes in the Browns' 23-16 loss to the Ravens Week 11. Nevertheless, Sanders said the learning curve he experienced in the Baltimore game aided his display on Sunday evening.

"It's different when you're watching from the sideline. Everybody can analyze, everybody can say everything from the sideline," Sanders said. "You can watch TV, everything. You can talk on TV, whatever you want to do. But until you get out there and you do it, then it's different.

"It's a lot of vet quarterbacks that had they time and everything that were backups and was able to get thrown in the game and be alright. But I don't think they was like that in their rookie year. That's different and I'm thankful for [the Ravens game] because that helped me get to where I am today. That helped me go into the game very comfortable. Knowing the different looks and how they could be confusing to the naked eye. But that's why during the game I was smiling so much. Because I was like if this is what it is, I know I'm going to be able to accept that challenge and move forward one day and be able to have success.

"A lot of people wanted to see me fail. It ain't gonna happen," Sanders added.

MORE: Shedeur Sanders rates high, gets revenge vs. Raiders

Shedeur Sanders stats today vs. Raiders

  • Completions/Attempts: 11/20
  • Passing yards: 209
  • Yards per attempt: 20.1
  • Touchdowns: 1
  • Interceptions: 1
  • Passer rating: 87.3

All told, Sanders was solid in his full NFL debut. He looked far more composed when matched up against Las Vegas than he did the week prior against the Ravens.

With his father, Deion, in attendance, Sanders found his form. He arguably could have tossed another touchdown in the first quarter, evading the Maxx Crosby-led pass rush before floating a pass into Isaiah Bond's waiting grasp.

Sanders' interception wasn't ideal. But he bounced back in a big way in the fourth quarter, hitting Sampson for the first score of his career. Sampson did much of the heavy-lifting. But Sanders reaped the benefits of a solid read and simple pass routine. 

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