Cleveland’s final weeks are less about the scoreboard and more about stress-testing a young quarterback in real conditions. Since his NFL debut, Sanders has been placed into an offense that rarely offers clean looks or comfortable margins.
What makes the transition jarring is how different his past looked. In Colorado, Sanders built a reputation on efficiency rather than volume.
He left college with the highest career completion percentage in FBS history, completing 71.8 percent of his passes over two seasons and leading the subdivision at 74 percent last year.
In Cleveland, that precision has appeared only in isolated moments. Pressure has accelerated his internal clock, leading to throwaways, rushed decisions, and occasional misses on routine concepts.
The numbers reflect that environment. His completion rate stands at 52.2 percent, which would rank last among qualifying passers. Sanders has been blunt about the issue, saying,
“I got to complete the ball more, honestly. I mean, there’s no excuse when it comes to that.”
Cleveland’s offense has struggled to consistently create easy completions early in drives, leaving Sanders to operate in longer down-and-distance situations.
Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has pointed to footwork and timing as areas that are still settling, explaining that accuracy follows when the lower body and eyes stay in sync.
With the Browns at 3-11 and trying to avoid a second straight three-win season, Sanders is being evaluated under circumstances that offer little protection. The franchise is watching to see whether his flashes can survive sustained pressure.
Bills Defense Adds Structure to the Evaluation Process
Sanders’ most dependable success has come when the field stretches vertically. Deep throws simplify reads and allow anticipation, something that has shown up even in difficult games.
Against Chicago, he connected with rookie Isaiah Bond for gains of 47 and 42 yards, placing the ball high and away where only the receiver could reach it. Those plays stood out in a 31-3 loss in which Sanders finished 18-of-35 for 177 yards, threw three interceptions, and took five sacks.
Sanders has acknowledged that shorter throws demand tighter coordination. He explained that underneath routes require receivers and the quarterback to see coverage the same way and arrive at spots on the same beat.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy echoed that the deep ball gives targets a chance, but Sanders has emphasized the need to stay efficient when defenses remove that option.
Buffalo presents a clean measuring stick. The Bills enter allowing 169.5 passing yards per game, second-best in the league. Cleveland sits first at 169.0. Sean McDermott’s defense thrives on late coverage movement, something that appeared to confuse Sanders on two interceptions last week.
Rather than viewing that as discouraging, Sanders has framed it as necessary exposure. He has said this season represents the most challenging phase of his development, the point where everything feels fast and unforgiving.
With three games remaining, Cleveland is not chasing momentum. It is gathering evidence on whether Sanders’ decision-making can stabilize when defenses know exactly where to apply pressure.