TL;DR
- Shedeur Sanders earned his first win as Cleveland Browns quarterback against the Las Vegas Raiders.
- Sanders completed 11 of 20 passes for one touchdown and one interception in the 24-10 victory.
- The Browns will face the San Francisco 49ers despite injuries to key defensive players like Nick Bosa.
- Sanders stated he is not comfortable and understands the need for continued development against the 49ers.
Shedeur Sanders secured his inaugural victory as the Cleveland Browns' signal-caller, despite a less-than-stellar performance. The freshman, selected in the fifth round, guided the squad to a 24-10 triumph against the Las Vegas Raiders (2-9), completing 11 of 20 passes for a single touchdown and one interception. This showing proved sufficient for The Browns to deem him prepared for a confrontation with the San Francisco 49ers (8=4) during his inaugural home appearance this Sunday.
Although Sanders will undoubtedly face intense scrutiny from The Niners' defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh, San Francisco has been significantly impacted by injuries on that unit. As reported by 49ers.com, linebacker Tatum Bethune and defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu are unavailable this week. Defensive end Nick Bosa is currently on injured reserve due to a torn ACL, and similarly, linebacker Fred Warner is out with an ankle injury.
MORE: Shedeur Sanders Draws Strong Praise From 49ers DC Robert Saleh Before Week 13
This situation ought to provide Sanders and the Browns (3-8) with some flexibility in their offensive strategy when facing the 49ers organization, which has consistently showcased one of the league's most formidable defensive units over the past several seasons. Presently, Cleveland holds the 31st position in total yards gained per contest, accumulating an average of 258.5, and they are situated 29th in points scored, averaging 16.2 points per game.
Sanders faces a crucial test against the 49ers.
Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Though Sanders might be receiving another opportunity, he maintains he's not settling into retirement as the squad's primary quarterback. He understands the necessity for ongoing development, and this upcoming matchup against San Francisco will present a new challenge.
"I'm definitely not comfortable, though, so that's first and foremost that I have another opportunity to go out there," Sanders said on Wednesday, acccording to ESPN. "But in life, you got to understand how quickly things come or how long it comes, it could be taken at any point in time."
The 49ers will approach the matchup positioned 21st in the NFL for yards per game, accumulating an average of 342.7, and also permitting 4,112 yards over 2025 (15. This follows their standing at 11th in opponent points per game (25.6) and 8th in overall defense during 2024.