Shedeur Sanders Throws First NFL โฃTouchdown, Leads โBrowns to Victoryโ Overโ Raiders
Shedeur Sanders earned โhis first NFL start โขfor the Cleveland Browns last week, breaking a long-standing team drought and contributing toโ a 24-10 win againstโ the Las Vegasโค Raiders. Sanders, a fifth-round โpick, had previously seen action off the bench, throwing his first touchdown passโ in the victory.
Sanders completed 11 of 20 โpasses for 209 yards, oneโ touchdown, and one interception. While not a dominant performance, it wasโข sufficient to secure the win against a struggling Raiders team. Notably,this win ended a 0-17 streak for โคthe Browns – sinceโ returning to theโค NFL in 1999,quarterbacks making their first careerโข start for Cleveland had previously been unable to secure โฃaโฃ victory.
Sanders has garnered significant attention as a rookie,fueled byโค his โfather,Hall of Famer Deion โฃSanders,who was present in Las Vegas โคto witness his son’s debut,and his collegiate career at the University of Colorado.
Sanders’ performance was a marked improvement โfrom his initial โขNFL experienceโฃ in Week 11,whenโค he entered the game after starter Dillon Gabrielโค was sidelined withโค a concussion. In that limitedโข action, he โcompleted 4 of 16 passes. Against the Raiders,Sanders was 7โ ofโ 11 for โ127 yards in the first half alone,including a 52-yard completion to โฃIsaiah Bondโ that set up a touchdown.He did throwโ one interception in the first half, but was only sacked once.
The Browns โขled 14-3 at โhalftime,โ markingโข their best offensiveโ showing of the season.
Sanders recorded โคhis first NFLโ touchdown โpass in the second half,connecting with Dylan โคSampson โคon a 66-yardโข play. Sampsonโข evaded the Raiders defense for the โscore, extendingโ the Browns’ lead to 24-3.
The Browns’ defense, led byโ Myles Garrett, played a crucial role โin the victory. Garrett set a โฃnew franchise record โwith his 17th sack โคof the season, ultimately finishing with threeโ sacksโข andโค bringing hisโ season total toโค 18.โ He is โnow five sacks away from perhaps breaking the โฃNFL’s single-season record. Theโ defensive line consistently pressured Raiders quarterback Geno Smith.
Theโฃ Browns have indicated thatโ gabriel would have started had he cleared concussion protocol, suggesting Sanders’ โtime as the starter may โbe limited. However, he โฃmade a positive impressionโข in his โfirst start.