The roar for Shedeur Sanders at Huntington Bank Field was deafening after Dillon Gabriel exited due to concussion protocol. But by the end of the day, the only sound was the quiet disappointment of a debut gone wrong. His dream NFL debut for the Cleveland Browns was quite forgettable. According to Shannon Sharpe, though, the 23-16 loss against the Baltimore Ravens was not on Sanders but on head coach Kevin Stefanski. 

“So you don’t think Dillon Gabriel could possibly get hurt? He can’t possibly break a knee, sprain a shoulder, or get a concussion?. There’s no possible way anything could go wrong that you want to get Shedeur to do one rep with the ones, two reps with the ones?” an amused Sharpe questioned on NightCap with co-host Chad Johnson.

After the Ravens controlled the game late and won, ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi reported Stefanski’s confession that the second half of the Sunday game was Sanders’ first rep ever with the starting offense.

We know that the Colorado alum was only taking reps with the scout teams after the practice sessions. In his defense, Stefanski had previously mentioned two things: One, he was focused on developing the primary signal caller, as both were rookies. Two, the head coach had asked the offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees, to develop calls specifically for Sanders.

But that’s where Sharpe’s point comes in.

While Sanders was improving in his scout team reps, he needed some exposure to the first team. Understandably, most reps should’ve gone to Gabriel, who was leading the team in real time. In fact, the Oregon alum did receive some first-team reps when he was a backup to the former Browns QB Joe Flacco. However, none of that should have prevented Sanders from some reps, too. When Gabriel gets 10 reps, Sanders should get at least 2. Not for honing his skills, but to get a taste of what he is capable of when he finally steps on the field.

On Sunday, Stefanski’s nightmare came true.

After halftime, Gabriel spoke on the phone, left for the locker room, and never returned as he got evaluated for a concussion. Consequently, Sanders put on his headsets, strapped on his helmet, and stepped onto the field with the league’s dead-last offense against a 15th-ranked defense, as per PFF.

Initially, energized by the cheering crowd, Sanders looked his confident self, making some strong attempts from the pocket. Starting at their own 25-yard line with 12:43 in the third quarter and the hosts leading 10-16, the backup QB threw a short pass towards his right to Cedric Tillman for a 5-yard gain. But just after two plays, when Kyle Hamilton sacked him, that confidence crumbled.

Sanders still made some long passes and three carries, but ended the losing effort, completing just 4 of 16 attempts for 74 yards, no score, and an interception. He also rushed for 16 yards on three carries. The night didn’t turn out how Sanders had imagined, where he would do the Squirrel Dance like NFL legend Ray Lewis after a touchdown. And he accepted that he needed to be better.

“They gave me an opportunity, I didn’t do up to my expectations enough to get us the win, so I just have to take that one on the chin,” Sanders said about his performance.

But was it really the worst debut, as many analysts believe it to be? Not really.

Given that Sanders didn’t have any reps with the first team and came off the bench cold, he still showed what the Browns fans have been wanting to see all this time. Let’s break down how he proved his arm strength in just the final drive of the game to show his clutch skills:

• With 2:31 left in the game, Sanders threw a 25-yarder to Harold Fannin Jr.
• After a couple of incomplete plays and 1:51 remaining on the clock, he threw to Jerry Jeudy for 10 yards.
• On the next play, he scrambled for five yards before Hamilton tackled him down.
• With 1:16 left, he barely missed Isaiah Bond in the end zone from Baltimore’s 25.
• On the next play in the final drive, he sizzled a pass to Gage Larvadain in the end zone. However, the undrafted rookie was unable to hang onto the football.

A clear lack of chemistry also led to dropped passes on several accurate throws. For instance, the throw that Jeudy missed with two minutes left in the regulation and the team at Baltimore’s 40.

Case in point, Stefanski needed to give Sanders some first-team reps, and Sanders does deserve some time on the field even if Gabriel continues to be the primary signal caller when he returns.

At the end of the day, Gabriel, who has started six games for the Browns to date, left the game with 7-of-10 passing for 68 yards. His stat line did read better than Sanders’, but the impact didn’t.

The Browns had not converted a third down until their backup QB entered the game in the third quarter. So, while he couldn’t be at his best, Sanders manufactured an entertaining half of football and gave the Browns a chance at the end that even Stefanski praised the rookie.

“Shedeur has made unbelievable strides in the meeting room and the practice field,” Stefanski said after the game. “I know he wants to be better, and that will only come with hard work.”

Moreover, the team consistently rallied behind Sanders with their support. After the game, however, even the defense maestro of the Browns, Myles Garrett, showed his support for the backup.

Browns vet Myles Garrett backs Shedeur Sanders

After the game, Shedeur Sanders looked visibly upset and frustrated on the sidelines. His teammates were seen encouraging him for the effort he showed.

“He wanted to pin it on himself. I wouldn’t allow him to do that. It’s a team game,” veteran star Garrett said to the reporters during Sunday night’s presser.

“I know he wants to make the play. He wants to have that game-changing drive because he feels like he has that ability, and we’ve seen it. So don’t be discouraged from one drive or two drives,” Garrett stressed about what’s ahead for Sanders.

After the game, Stefanski clarified that if Gabriel is cleared by the medical team after proper evaluation, he will start against the Raiders in Week 12. If he doesn’t, Sanders will make his long-anticipated NFL start ahead of Bailey Zappe.

This one week will be crucial for the entire Browns squad.

They are currently placed at the bottom of the AFC North with a poor 2-8 record. With the Browns’ playoff hopes gone, Sanders’ next opportunity isn’t just about beating the 2-8 Raiders; it’s a crucial audition to prove he can be the reliable starter this franchise desperately needs.