12/10/25 02:46:00
Printable Page
12/10 14:44 CST Browns' Shedeur Sanders is keeping his focus on improving after
a strong 3rd start
Browns' Shedeur Sanders is keeping his focus on improving after a strong 3rd
start
By TOM WITHERS
Associated Press
BEREA, Ohio (AP) --- Shedeur Sanders is still learning to decipher NFL
defenses, recognize coverages and make much smarter decisions.
He can already read the room.
The rookie quarterback's path to starting for the Browns has been curious and
circuitous, to say the least. But just because he's currently atop the depth
chart, and will stay there the rest of this season, Sanders isn't stationary or
satisfied.
Coming off the best performance of his young career, leading to coach Kevin
Stefanski naming him the starter for the final four games, Sanders said before
Wednesday's practice he's not concerned with whether he has shown Cleveland
enough to end its long search for a franchise QB.
He's staying in the moment.
"That's not in my focus," Sanders said. "My focus right now is the team we're
playing ahead, the Bears. So anything past that I'm not really focused on,
honestly. I'm thankful for it, but I'm not content with my situation with
everything."
The former Colorado star has come a long way since tumbling to the fifth round
of this year's draft. The 23-year-old was fourth string throughout training
camp and the preseason before two trades and rookie Dillon Gabriel's concussion
catapulted Sanders.
In just his third pro start on Sunday, Sanders threw three touchdown passes,
ran for a score and finished with 364 yards against Tennessee. He joined Joe
Burrow as the only rookie QBs in league history with at least 350 yards
passing, three TDs and a rushing TD in a game.
The performance became a footnote as the Browns (3-10) came up short in an
embarrassing 31-29 loss to the two-win Titans (2-11) and their rookie QB, Cam
Ward.
Following the game, Sanders caught up on the field with Ward, last year's No. 1
pick who pressed him on his plans for the upcoming offseason.
Unlike Ward, Sanders can't afford to think that far ahead.
"This is my life here. So we on two different spectrums right now," Sanders
said. "I got to focus on playing my best and being the best player I can for
the team. And obviously the situations are different. I know he puts his all
into these games and these final four games, but it's just a little bit
different because you don't know what could happen.
"I just go here, enjoy my day, work hard, do everything I can. If I'm here, I'm
here. If I'm not, I'm not. It's nothing in my control. I try to control what I
can control --- going out there, making the right reads. Going out there, doing
the right things, being the person I am and things will fall how they're
supposed to."
Things rarely go as planned in Cleveland, but Sanders is giving the Browns some
hope in another rotten season.
He's shown significant improvement each game, whether connecting on a downfield
throw or firing the ball out of bounds to avoid a sack.
That's not to say he's been perfect.
In the third quarter last week, Sanders, who since college has had a bad habit
of holding the ball too long, tried to create something out of nothing. It cost
him.
Scrambling to buy time after the protection broke down, Sanders forced a pass
down the middle that was easily intercepted by the Titans. The turnover set up
Tennessee's go-ahead score and set the stage for the Titan's win.
It was another tough lesson for Sanders, who said changing his ways isn't
problematic.
"Not hard. It just took a little explaining," he said, flashing a knowing
smile. "It's a negative thing to happen for me to just slow down. I look at
everything and I understand, OK, this is what I was trying to do, and in this
situation, this that's what you should do.
"And sometimes it go your way, then they'll be like, ?that was lit' and
sometimes it don't. So you got to limit those that wasn't the best risk in
certain situations, certain times of the game."
This week presents another tough test for Sanders, who will face a Chicago
defense leading the league with 18 interceptions.
Stefanski, whose future could hinge on how the Browns play in December, has
been pleased with his QB's steady progress.
"In terms of a light turning on, those type of things, I just think he's
committed to getting better every single week," he said. "And that's what you
want."
Notes: The temperature could be in the single digits in Chicago. Sanders is
doing all he can not to think about the icy weather. "One thing you don't want
to be is mentally defeated before you get there," he said. "Whatever comes with
however it feels out there just comes with it." ... Several starters missed
practice, including CB Denzel Ward (calf), S Grant Delpit (illness), DT Mason
Graham (rib), TE David Njoku (knee) and WR Cedric Tillman (concussion).
Stefanski ruled out RG Wyatt Teller (calf) for Sunday.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
|
