When the Buffalo Bills take the field on Sunday in Cleveland, they’ll face the first starting rookie quarterback they’ve seen this season. Shedeur Sanders, the Browns’ fifth-round pick and third different starter this season, is already one of the league’s most polarizing players, but his play since taking over has caught plenty of attention.
Sanders has started the past four games for Cleveland, and has helped the offense find a stronger footing than at other points in the franchise’s rocky 3-11 season to this point. Sanders has given the Browns two performances where the passing game exceeded 200 yards, something it hadn’t done since Week 2 with Joe Flacco as the starter.
He also got Cleveland back into the win column in his second start against Las Vegas and had his first 300+ yard, 3-touchdown game in a shootout loss to the Tennessee Titans two weeks ago.
Bills HC Sean McDermott acknowledges Shedeur Sanders has elevated Cleveland Browns' offense
While Sanders and the Browns are hoping to spoil the Bills’ late season surge, Bills head coach Sean McDermott offered strong praise for the rookie quarterback ahead of the matchup.
“Good player, good young player off to a great start. Dangerous with the toolset that he brings to the table,” McDermott said in his weekly Wednesday press conference. “He’s done a great job. I think their offense has ratcheted up since he’s been under center. So, that’ll be a big challenge for us.”
In some ways the Browns have improved, but certainly not across the board. Cleveland has turned the ball over at least twice in each of the past four games. Sanders threw three interceptions against the Chicago Bears last week while also taking a season-high five sacks.
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The possibility of getting Christian Benford back in the lineup can help keep a cap on Sanders’ chances to upset Buffalo this week. Another week removed from injury for Joey Bosa should help capitalize on Sanders’ propensity to hold onto the ball, too. The Bills have answers for a player like Sanders, especially at this stage of the campaign.
That said, Sanders isn’t a player to take lightly in this league either. He clearly has a long way to go in his development, but the Browns’ offense has enjoyed some of its strongest moments in a difficult season with him in command. It’ll be up to Benford, Bosa, and the rest of the Bills’ defense to make sure Sanders doesn’t put together another strong performance to avoid falling into the proverbial trap game upset.