Shedeur Sanders 'excited' to make his first career start for Browns vs. Raiders: 'I feel like I'm the guy'
Sanders will fill in for Dillion Gabriel, who is in concussion protocol
By
Bryan DeArdo
•
3 min read
Fresh off of making his NFL regular season debut, Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will make his first career start when Cleveland faces the Raiders on Sunday in Las Vegas, coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed on Wednesday. Sanders will take all first-team reps this week, Stefanski said.
Sanders is starting in relief of fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who is currently in the league's concussion protocol after he sustained a head injury during the Browns' Week 11 loss to the Ravens.
"I know our fans have a lot of expectations and hope, and I would be doing a disservice to myself and a disservice to the organization if I didn't feel like I am the guy," Sanders said on Wednesday. "I'm doing everything I need to do; trying to be the best version of myself. With the circumstances, everything got sped up, and that's great. I like pressure in life.
"I'm just excited for everything. I feel like I'm the guy. I know I'm the guy, but you know, the game's got to speak."
Sanders, who played the entire second half last Sunday, largely struggled against a Baltimore defense that is currently ranked 24th in the NFL in passing yards allowed. He went 4 of 12 passing for 47 yards and an interception while not directing a single scoring drive.
Sanders and the Browns' offense did make things interesting during the game's final three minutes. On Cleveland's final drive, Sanders completed a 25-yard pass to tight end Harold Fannin Jr., a 10-yard pass to wideout Jerry Jeudy and took off on a five-yard run that put the Browns in scoring position.
The game ended, however, with Sanders throwing three straight incompletions as Cleveland fell to 2-8 on the year after relinquishing a 16-10 halftime lead.
"Really the positives from that game was just being able to go in there," Sanders said. "I don't think a lot of people understand how challenging that is for a rookie going into a game. ... As the game went on, I settled in."
Sanders is confident that the the increased reps this week will pay dividends this weekend in Las Vegas.
"I'm more of a feel type of person," he said. "That's how I learn. That's how I do everything. ... I gotta be out there. I gotta move around ... to feel my best and play my best, and I'm doing everything my power, and the team's doing everything to help me get prepared."
Sanders -- who referred to himself as his biggest critic -- gave an honest assessment of how he played against the Ravens.
"I think I handled the blitz pretty good," he said. "I think there were some certain scenarios where I could have been tighter, my footwork and other things. But all that's about feel, and getting the reps and doing everything like that. But as time went on, you saw the comfort, the juice behind it. So I know I can get to that place."
While it was a humbling start, Sanders' NFL debut created a buzz from fans who have been anticipating his first regular season action. Sanders, after all, was one of college football's most popular and polarizing players during his time at Colorado where he played for his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
Speaking of Deion, Shedeur said he isn't sure if his father will be in attendance for Sunday's game (Colorado hosts Arizona State on Saturday night). His focus has solely been on preparing for his first NFL regular season start.
"I have the opportunity to go out there and do the best I can," Sanders said. "It's gonna be fun going out there, doing what I've got to do, and the fact that we are up against time. ... People want to see how quickly it is gonna take for us to have success. And I truly believe it won't be long."
