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Shedeur Sanders makes case to replace Deshaun Watson despite Browns’ overtime loss to Saints
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
Shedeur Sanders’ Cleveland comeback ended in a 23-22 overtime loss to New Orleans, but his late-game throws strengthened the case for him to keep starting. His 30-yard completion to Jerry Jeudy under pressure set up the tying field goal, and he later led a touchdown drive in overtime.
Starting after Deshaun Watson missed practice while in concussion protocol, Sanders completed 19 of 31 passes for 297 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He had only 38 passing yards in the first half and was sacked five times for 37 yards; a 64-yard touchdown to a wide-open KC Concepcion gave Cleveland a fourth-quarter lead. New Orleans won after scoring on its opening overtime possession, and Cleveland’s subsequent touchdown drive fell short.
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In short
- Sanders delivered late despite a mixed performance.
- His completion to Jeudy helped force overtime.
- Cleveland lost 23-22 after both teams scored in overtime.
How this story developed
- 28 minutes ago Shedeur Sanders made a mixed but compelling case to remain Cleveland’s starting quarterback after leading the Browns to a late comeback against New Orleans.
- 31 minutes ago Shedeur Sanders’ Cleveland comeback ended in a 23-22 overtime loss to New Orleans, but his late-game throws strengthened the case for him to keep starting.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Sanders’s late-game production offers a strong reason to keep him as Cleveland’s starter: he finished with 297 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, and made key throws to force overtime and lead a touchdown drive. A continued run would let the Browns assess his potential in real game conditions and reward a performance that gave the offence a late spark.
The case against
The case for Watson or another option to start is that Sanders struggled for much of the game: he managed 38 passing yards in the first half, took five sacks and had two goal-to-go drives stalled by sacks. One encouraging comeback, despite the loss, may not outweigh those issues when choosing the quarterback most likely to give Cleveland consistent performance.
Explained simply
The Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints are two teams in the NFL, the United States’ top professional American football league. The Browns’ quarterback position has been unsettled: Deshaun Watson is their established starter, while Shedeur Sanders is a rookie trying to earn a regular role.
A team’s quarterback leads its passing attack and is central to how it moves the ball and scores. Watson’s absence gave Sanders a chance to start, so his performances can affect who plays when Watson is available. The competition matters to Cleveland’s plans for the season, while the result of any one game also depends on the whole team and its opponent.
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