Shedeur Sanders made his NFL debut in Week 12 and walked away with a win, but the film shows a quarterback who is still very much a work in progress. He had a mix of hesitation, late processing, and placement issues, but he also flashed tools that matter: poise under pressure, the ability to create outside structure, and enough arm talent to threaten downfield. With help from the run game and protection that somewhat held up for most of the night, Sanders delivered just enough while showing why he remains a developmental player.
This performance also matters for the Browns’ bigger quarterback picture. Their third-round pick, Dillon Gabriel, has already shown that he is not ready to be a long-term NFL starter, and he has not put enough on tape to justify taking the job back once he returns. Based on the flashes Sanders showed in this debut, he should remain the starter, because the upside is far higher and the offence clearly has more to gain by developing him.
Below is the full All-22 evaluation, all dropbacks are linked with the All-22!
1st Quarter
Dropback 1
It is 3rd and long. The Raiders put five on the line with two high safeties and rotate into Cover 2 zone, dropping a defensive lineman into a hook area. Sanders has a clean pocket and throws to Cedric Tillman sitting down just short of the sticks. It is fine to trust your guy and hope he can break a tackle, but there are two linebackers there, and the corner route to number 84 is a much better Cover 2 answer. In a non-third-and-long situation, this is acceptable, but here he needs to be more aggressive.
Dropback 2
The Raiders show seven on the line with one high safety. Three drop out, and they rotate into Cover 2. Because the Browns keep both the RB and TE in protection, Sanders only has three routes. The strong side over and dig are covered, and Jeudy is open on an early out, but covered by the time Sanders gets there. If he was coached to read it this way, he had no winning option. But instead of taking the sack, he has to throw this away.
Dropback 3
Another 3rd and long. Raiders show four on the line and two high, then rotate into Cover 3. The Browns send two go routes, an over, and two checkdowns. Sanders chooses to take the one-on-one go ball to Jeudy. Jeudy runs it with poor effort and looks half-speed, so the “overthrow” is really on the receiver. I still like the aggression in this situation.
Dropback 4
On first down, the Raiders have five on the line and two high safeties. The Browns run play action with Jeudy on a crosser and number 44 releasing to the flat. Sanders has two defenders in his face but places a short throw accurately to number 44, who turns it into a 15-yard gain. It is an easy read, but it is good to see him stay poised under pressure.
Dropback 5
It is 3rd and long. The Raiders put six on the line with no deep safety and rush all six, while the Browns leave only five in protection. Sanders is hot. He escapes the free rusher, rolls to his left, and with two defenders closing, throws a massive deep shot with impressive accuracy. It is creative, instinctive, and extremely high-level. Easily his best play of the game.
End of 1st Quarter Summary
The run game was solid, and protection held up outside of one play. Sanders mixed in some hesitation throws with one spectacular play on the move. It was a shaky but promising start, and his natural talent showed up in difficult situations.
2nd Quarter
Dropback 6
First down. The Raiders show five on the line and one high safety. They rotate into Cover 3 and drop an edge rusher. Sanders throws a quick hitch to Jeudy without seeing the edge dropping underneath. The linebacker behind it also would have broken on the throw. It is a bad interception and a clear example of needing to read the post-snap picture.
Dropback 7
Third and long. Raiders show six on the line and two high safeties, then rotate into Cover 2 zone with two hook droppers. Jeudy breaks the corner’s ankles on an outside release and is wide open on a Cover 2 hole shot. Sanders does not even look at him. Instead, he panics in a clean pocket and throws the ball away. This is a must-hit read even if the CB doesn’t fall down.
Dropback 8
First down. Raiders show five on the line and one high. They rotate into Cover 3. Maxx Crosby wins inside quickly, so Sanders calmly rolls right, sees Jeudy’s backside dig clearing open, plants, and fires a well-placed throw for a huge gain. Jeudy then commits a brutal fumble. Excellent pocket movement and playmaking by Sanders.
Dropback 9
Third down. Raiders show four on the line and one high, then play Cover 3. Everything downfield is blanketed, so Sanders checks it down. It is the right decision given the game situation.
End of 2nd Quarter Summary
The run game disappeared, and protection was steady with one quick pressure. Sanders mixed strong improvisation with two very poor misses, including a missed read for a likely explosive play and an avoidable interception. His highs and lows were on display in this quarter.
3rd Quarter
Dropback 10
First down. Raiders have five on the line and one high safety, playing Cover 1. Tillman gets open early against a linebacker on a short route. Sanders stares at him too long and is almost 2 Mississippi’s late, which allows a defender from another assignment to jump it. Sanders misses high, which avoids a pick. This should be an easy timing throw if he triggers faster.
Dropback 11
Third and long. Raiders show four on the line and two high, then roll into Cover 6. The Browns run two go routes and an over, all covered. Sanders checks it down with pressure in his face, showing nice touch and awareness. Good job not forcing anything.
Dropback 12
First down. Raiders have five on the line and one high. They drop an edge and rotate into Cover 6. The Browns run a perfect Cover 6 beater, occupying the quarter safety with an over route and isolating a wide-open dig. As Sanders throws, a DT wins instantly on a stunt, leading to an overthrow. It is a throw he needs to hit, but the pressure was a huge factor.
Dropback 13
First down. Raiders show five on the line and one high, rotate into Cover 3, and drop another edge into coverage. Nothing develops downfield, so Sanders throws it away. This one is simply a dead play.
End of 3rd Quarter Summary
The Browns’ run game finally gained traction. Pass protection worsened slightly but was still serviceable. Sanders continued to show flashes with his eyes and toughness, but accuracy and timing remained inconsistent. The offense felt disjointed, though not entirely because of him.
4th Quarter
The Browns controlled the clock with the run game, and there was nothing meaningful to chart from Sanders as they protected the lead.
Technical Takeaways
1. Eyes and progression speed must improve.
Sanders is slow to trigger on several easy reads and consistently arrives late on timing routes. This directly caused one interception and two near-turnovers.
2. Pocket composure fluctuates.
There are drives where he is calm and climbs with confidence, and others where he panics despite the protection holding strong. The missed Cover 2 hole shot to Jeudy is the clearest example.
3. High-level flashes are absolutely real.
The deep rolling left throw was elite. His escape ability and on-the-move accuracy appeared multiple times. He also showed he can work to his third read when the picture is clear.
4. Supporting cast and scheme share major responsibility.
Jeudy’s effort, a costly fumble, and stretches of bad run support made Sanders’ job harder. The Browns also gave him several plays with no viable option.
Final Thoughts
Shedeur Sanders did not have a clean performance, but he absolutely showed legitimate NFL traits. His creativity, arm strength, and ability to throw under pressure stood out, and the flashes were enough to be slightly encouraged. At the same time, he missed too many easy answers and still needs to speed up his process dramatically. This was his first NFL start, and he deserves patience because the raw talent is obvious, and the supporting cast did not consistently help him.
If you liked this I will be posting a All-22 review every week this season!
Leave a Reply