Shedeur Sanders took the field as the starting QB for the Cleveland Browns in Week 9, filling in for Deshaun Watson, and it was a rollercoaster that ended in a crushing overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints. While the Browns ultimately fell short in the extra period, Sanders’ performance was a tale of two halves, going from dormant to dropping bombs when it mattered most.
The Wild Ride of Shedeur Sanders’ Week 9 Start
Man, those first three quarters watching Shedeur Sanders were a grind. The offense felt like it was stuck in mud. We saw frustrating procedural errors, him bailing from the pocket too often, and honestly, it felt like zero growth from what we saw last year. You could tell that a short, read-and-dissect offense just isn’t his jam, even if he needs to get way better at it to be a consistent NFL quarterback. He’s at his best when he’s letting it rip downfield, taking those deep shots. If he wasn’t going to do that, you might as well have put Dillon Gabriel out there.
But then, the fourth quarter hit, and suddenly, it was a shootout. Sanders started letting the ball loose, and the offense came alive. When he knew it was either “take a shot or take a loss,” he was a completely different player, getting the offense moving when they absolutely needed to score. He finished 19-of-31 for 297 yards and tossed two touchdowns, plus added 28 yards on 10 carries. That late-game surge was huge, because without it, the word is he would have been benched down to third-string next week. So, yeah, he saved his backup job. Interestingly, his PFF grade was a rough 55.0, third-lowest on offense. The craziest part? The PFF breakdown said he played *better* when blitzed or under pressure, and way worse when he wasn’t. What even is that?
Offensive Struggles and the Rise of the Receivers
While Sanders found his rhythm late, the running game for the Browns just couldn’t get going, even against one of the league’s worst run defenses. Dylan Sampson led the backfield in reps with 47 plays, rushing 8 times for 21 yards and catching 3 passes for 27 yards. Quinshon Judkins got more carries with 15, totaling 43 yards, plus a 2-yard catch on 25 plays. Sampson’s higher snap count was mostly due to the hurry-up, two-minute offense at the end of the game. Fullback Michael Burton also saw 11 snaps, though without registered stats.
Big hats off to the wide receivers though, especially down the stretch. Denzel Boston was an absolute beast, making an incredible high-point catch over a defender after hitting him with a nasty move to get open. He was the Browns’ top-graded player on offense by PFF, rocking a 73.6. KC Concepcion snagged his first NFL touchdown, using his speed to burn across the field for a long score after the catch, and even added 3 yards on a carry. Jerry Jeudy also stepped up, hauling in 2 catches for 37 yards. These guys were making plays when the team desperately needed them.
This Week 9 loss stings, but Shedeur Sanders gave Browns fans a glimpse of what he can be if he’s cutting it loose. Now, the question is how the Browns coaching staff, knowing his weird PFF split, helps him grow beyond just those do-or-die moments. Will they learn how to unleash that deep-ball potential from the start, or will it take another fourth-quarter shootout for him to find his stride? It’s a huge question moving forward for this offense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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