The Browns switched gears after Sanders’ performance Sunday in a 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The fifth-round rookie played well in his first start, getting no rattles and taking some stretch throws that were missing with Gabriel in the lineup. Sanders completed 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards — 10.5 yards per attempt — with a touchdown and an interception.
It wasn’t all pretty for the rookie, who threw a bad interception in the second quarter, but he responded well. Most notably, Sanders avoided the tendency to drift into the pocket and take bad sacks, only being taken down once in the win. There are things to clean up in terms of execution and accuracy, but the rookie brought some juice that had been lacking in the Browns’ offense.
Sanders’ best throw of the game came in the first quarter, when he escaped the pass rush, rolled right and picked off a bomb to freshman Isaiah Bond for a 52-yard completion. The 42-yard pass was Brown’s longest since 2023, according to Next Generation Stats. Sanders’ first touchdown pass came on a swing throw to running back Dylan Sampson, who scampered for a 66-yard score to give the Browns an insurmountable lead in the fourth quarter.
Watch the performance, it makes sense for Stefanski to ride Sanders, allowing him to grow on the court. He will face a better defense in San Francisco than the one he beat in Vegas. Sitting at 3-8, the Browns need as much evaluation as they can get from the young signal-caller before the offseason hits.