Dawgs By Nature
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry used an interesting analogy during the preseason to describe the challenges a rookie quarterback faces in moving from college to the NFL.
Berry compared the transition to someone being “fluent in English, and now you have to learn Mandarin,” specifically referencing the steep learning curve Shedeur Sanders would have to overcome before being ready to face NFL defenses.
Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans was the third consecutive start for Sanders, and it appears that the grade book will mark him as having passed the English part of the test.
But the more difficult part is looming over the next three weeks.
“His huddle, the cadence, his comfort, and maybe starting to see things, like he flipped the protection this week once and just got things on the same page. So that growth is definitely there, and it’s good to see.” – Joel Bitonio on Shedeur Sanders
This is a sentence that is going to trigger people, but the Browns and Sanders could not have asked for a better three-game stretch for a rookie quarterback to get up to speed than the one they just completed.
In those three starts, Sanders and Cleveland’s offense faced, according to Sumer Sports:
And in those three games, there have been the usual mix of good and bad from Sanders and the offense:
Sunday’s game was a good example as Sanders was 9-of-14 for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns to help the Browns take a three-point lead into halftime. But that lead quickly turned into a 14-point deficit late in the fourth quarter after seven consecutive drives ended in either a punt (four times) or a turnover (three times), as Sanders completed just five passes in 18 attempts for 75 yards.
But then on the final two offensive drives of the afternoon, Sanders was 9-of-10 for 109 yards and led the Browns to a pair of touchdowns.
“He came up big when we needed him to. There’s going to be some ups and downs for anyone, especially a rookie. But he went in there, and he looked composed, he escaped out of some sacks, broke the pocket, made some big-time plays, and just looking for him to continue to grow. Looking for that clock to speed up a little bit, but he looks more and more at ease each week.” – Myles Garrett on Shedeur Sanders
Even though both of those late touchdown drives were helped by penalties from the Titans, the fact remains that Sanders and the offense were able to shake the malaise...
