Shedeur Sanders just dropped a career-high 114.6 passer rating against the Saints on Sunday, and honestly, if Browns head coach Todd Monken doesn’t keep him as the starting quarterback for Week 10, it’s a massive missed opportunity. Sanders replaced Deshaun Watson, who was cleared and healthy enough for the road trip but Monken made inactive. And man, did Sanders deliver a stellar performance. Even though the Browns agonizingly lost 23-22 in overtime, one play shy of a win after a failed two-point attempt, there’s no question Sanders was the better QB out there.
Sanders Unlocked the Offense in His First Real Shot
This wasn’t just a decent showing; this was Sanders’ best passing stat line by far in his two seasons as a Brown. He went 19-of-31 for 297 yards and 2 touchdowns, averaging a sweet 8.5 yards per attempt. He also turned into a legit runner when needed, rushing a career-high 10 times for 28 yards in key situations. And get this: he did all that while still facing five sacks, the same kind of rocky protection Watson’s been dealing with all season. This was Sanders’ first extended playing time in Monken’s system, and he immediately outplayed Watson’s best efforts from any game this season. He brought a relentless, unique brand of fourth-quarter comeback moxie, even in a tough loss that saw the Browns drop their second consecutive game, landing them at 5-4 and third in the AFC North.
Why Sanders Offers the Browns a Higher Ceiling
It’s clear Sanders has a higher playmaking ceiling in Monken’s offense. He’s totally ditched those checkdown limitations he had under Kevin Stefanski’s more short-to-intermediate system. Sanders is way more comfortable stretching the field now, and it’s thanks in huge part to two dynamic rookie wide receivers: KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. He was targeting that downfield combo constantly, moving away from last year’s favorite target, second-year tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Boston led the team with 6 catches for 91 yards, and Concepcion was right there with 4 catches for 85 yards, including his first career touchdown on a monster 64-yard catch-and-run off a perfect strike from Sanders. When crunch time hit in the fourth quarter and overtime, even facing heavier pressure, Sanders kept making critical connections with veteran Jerry Jeudy and Fannin. He was locked in, accurate on every throw, and most importantly, he avoided turnovers. His decision-making has absolutely improved from his rookie year, and he basically unlocked the entire passing game with only limited help from the running game. That’s something Watson just hasn’t done as well all season.
Monken is an offensive-minded head coach, and he’s got a huge decision on his hands for Week 10 and beyond. If he wants this offense to truly elevate and shake off those consecutive losses, keeping Sanders under center feels like the only move. The kid just played better than Watson has all season, period.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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