The Cleveland Browns opened their 2025 season against AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals with a 17-16 loss.
The Browns did a lot of things right. They outgained the Bengals 327 yards to 141 and held Joe Burrow and Cincinnati’s high-powered offense in check. Cleveland also dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for over 35 minutes compared to the Bengals’ 24.
So how did the Browns lose?
If you ask Skip Bayless, it was all Joe Flacco's fault.
“If Shedeur had started yesterday for the Browns, they would’ve beaten the Bengals,” Bayless posted on X.
Flacco, who became only the eighth quarterback age 40 or older in NFL history to start a season opener, was busy Sunday. He went 31-of-45 for 290 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. But neither of those turnovers were entirely his fault.
The first came midway through the third quarter when a pass bounced off Jerry Jeudy’s hands and knees while he was on the ground. The second, late in the fourth, went off Cedric Tillman’s hands and all but sealed the game for Cincinnati.
“I felt like we did a lot of good things, but we also did a lot of things that get you beat,” Flacco said afterward. “You know, we just kind of felt we kind of played like an inexperienced team a little bit today.”
Bayless has been high on Shedeur Sanders for some time, but he’s also been critical of the Browns’ handling of the rookie since his slide to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“I’m outraged. I’m sickened. I’m saddened by the way Shedeur continues to be treated in the NFL — by those sorry-a** Browns and sorry-a** Kevin Stefanski,” Bayless said recently.
Bayless was referring to how Cleveland used Sanders in a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. Instead of giving Sanders reps, Stefanski went with Tyler Huntley, who led the Browns into position for Andre Szmyt’s game-winning 37-yard field goal.
For now, Sanders sits as the QB3 on Cleveland’s depth chart behind Flacco and third-round pick Dillon Gabriel.