Shedeur Sanders isn’t backing down after his fourth-quarter interception in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Chicago Bears, telling reporters he had the “right read” on the play, but the ball “slipped.” That pick, and his defiant explanation, throws a whole new wrench into the Browns’ already intense quarterback battle. When your prospect QB says the mistake wasn’t in his head, but his hands, it makes you wonder what’s truly going on.
The “Right Read” That Went Wrong
The moment came late in the game, a fourth-quarter pick that definitely stung. Sanders, ever confident, wasn’t shying away from it. “It was the right read. It just slipped,” he stated after the loss, clearly frustrated. “So, that’s what makes me get mad a little bit because of it. But, any decision I’m making, I know it’s the right decision. I just didn’t execute the decision.” Browns coach Todd Monken mostly backed him up, observing that it looked like Sanders was running a “clear out with a dagger concept” and felt the quarterback was “in the right place” before the “ball sailed a little bit on him.” Look, the stats on the night weren’t exactly jaw-dropping, with Sanders finishing his second-half appearance completing six of 11 pass attempts for 79 passing yards. Not terrible, but that pick definitely overshadowed everything.
QB1 Battle: Still Too Close To Call
This is where the real drama unfolds. Deshaun Watson started the game against the Bears, and the Browns are giving Sanders every chance to prove himself. Monken confirmed that Sanders will get at least one more week of first-team reps, splitting time with Watson, including during joint practices with the Buffalo Bills. Then, Sanders gets the keys to the offense, starting next Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Bills. Monken wasn’t ready to name a Week 1 starter after Saturday’s game, though he did say he’d be “100 percent” confident in Watson if the veteran wins the job.
It’s clear Monken wants to see growth from Sanders, especially in a specific area. Just last weekend, the coach emphasized his desire for Sanders to improve on “being able to check the ball down and get it out of his hands.” It’s interesting then, that when asked about his best throw of the day, Sanders pointed to a “check down to the running back in the red zone.” He even added, “They go Cover 0, I expect to get the ball out of my hand… the best thing for me is more understanding down and distance, and we’ve been doing that, emphasizing that, every day in practice.” Sounds like he’s been putting in the work.
What’s next? The Browns plan to “reevaluate” this whole quarterback competition after Sanders gets his start and Watson plays the third quarter in the upcoming Bills game. Sanders is “excited getting reps” and “excited for this week.” He knows what’s at stake, and Cleveland fans better strap in. This battle is going down to the wire.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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