The Cleveland Browns quarterback decision is officially coming down to the wire, folks! Coach Todd Monken is reportedly set to make a call in the coming days, concluding a battle that’s been raging through nearly a month of training camp and preseason action. After a wild Week 2 preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, complete with an hour delay due to lightning, Shedeur Sanders got his latest, and possibly final, shot at the starting job. He definitely gave the coaching staff plenty to chew on, delivering both flashes of brilliance and a big ol’ head-scratcher.
Sanders Came Out Firing, But Not Without Heartbreak
Sanders got the start against Buffalo, and man, he came out absolutely scorching! He completed all four of his pass attempts on that opening drive, capping it off with a sweet 8-yard touchdown toss to Luke Floriea. The guy was just locked in, hitting his first eight throws overall. He looked super comfortable chilling in the pocket, coolly getting through his reads, and even when he had to bail from a relatively clean pocket once, he still managed to turn it into a short gain. He looked smooth running play-action concepts, always taking those easy throws, and let’s be real, it definitely helped that the Bills’ pass rush wasn’t exactly bringing the heat. Monken clearly set him up with a bunch of easy answers early on, allowing him to get the ball out quick.
Even when things weren’t so straightforward, like on a crucial third-and-15 play, Sanders stayed calm, cool, collected, and accurate. And get this: his best play of the night might not even show up on the stat sheet! On a third-and-5, Sanders scrambled for a huge 13 yards after taking a hit right to the helmet. But of course, it got called back because Zak Zinter got flagged for holding, and that contact to Sanders’ head? Totally uncalled. What a questionable call by the refs, negating a truly big-time play!
The Interception That Raises All The Questions
Unfortunately for Sanders, his ninth throw was a complete gut punch. The former Colorado star threw behind 2025 undrafted tight end Jermaine Terry II, and the ball deflected straight up in the air and right into the hands of Damar Hamlin. Just brutal timing for an interception! Overall, Sanders finished the night 9-for-11 for 74 yards, that one touchdown, and that one pick. He also took a sack that lost no yardage and had a 2-yard run. His first drive was pure perfection, 4-for-4 for 43 yards and a touchdown, but the next three drives saw him go 5-for-7 for just 31 yards with that crucial turnover. It’s a tale of two halves for his performance, seriously.
Meanwhile, the other guy in this ongoing battle, Deshaun Watson, also reportedly struggled and threw an interception himself. With both quarterbacks delivering such mixed results, and coach Monken planning to make this monumental decision in the coming days, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting it could drop as soon as Monday, you gotta wonder if anyone truly separated themselves. It’s a full-blown QB mystery, folks, and nobody seems to have a clear answer!
So, what’s next for the Browns? Coach Monken has to make one of the toughest calls of the early season: who gets the nod for Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars? The clock is ticking, and we’re all glued to our phones waiting to see who gets the keys to that offense. Let’s go!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply