Nearly a month has passed since the Cleveland Browns’ last victory, which came against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Shedeur Sanders’ first career start in the NFL. Since then, Cleveland has lost four consecutive games, although they were highly competitive in their Week 16 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills entered the game as 10.5-point favorites, and on paper it seemed they would easily overpower the Browns. However, this is the NFL, and the game was far more competitive than expected, with Buffalo even risking a loss. The final score was 23-20 in favor of the Bills, in a very quiet performance from the league’s reigning MVP, Josh Allen.
The Bills’ quarterback completed just 12 passes for 130 yards and spent much of the game dealing with a physical issue. The player who carried Buffalo’s offense was James Cook, who continues to prove himself as one of the NFL’s top running backs, totaling 117 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Shedeur Sanders continues to show positive signs
Despite entering the game as underdogs, Shedeur Sanders’ performance fluctuated, but he proved against a playoff-caliber team like the Buffalo Bills that he is ready to compete and develop into a solid NFL player. His first offensive drive was spectacular, ending with a touchdown pass to fellow rookie Harold Fannin Jr.
Daryl Ruiter appeared on 92.3 The Fan and shared his thoughts on Sanders’ performance, giving him the benefit of the doubt as a potential starter next season: “I want to see him start all 17 games next year. There is something there with Shedeur. I loved what he did with his feet, evaded pressure, turned negative plays into positive plays. I like this kid’s potential,” the analyst said.
While his statistics were not eye-popping, Sanders delivered in key moments and clearly showcased his talent. The former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback finished with 157 passing yards, completing 20 of 29 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions. He was also sacked twice at crucial points in the game.
Sanders has two games remaining to try to convince the Cleveland Browns organization, facing the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals. It is worth remembering that reports surfaced weeks ago indicating that the Browns plan to allow Deshaun Watson to compete for the starting job next offseason, meaning Sanders’ story in Cleveland still has many chapters left to be written.
Read the full article here
