Shedeur Sanders made his NFL debut in the second half against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Sanders finished 4-of-16 passing for 47 yards and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. He finished with a QBR of 2.4, took two sacks, and looked overwhelmed at times against a Ravens defense that looked ready to pounce on the rookie quarterback.
Every Shedeur Sanders play from his regular season debut pic.twitter.com/5TA42lJKiu
— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2025
Fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel didn’t fare much better. Though he completed 7-of-10 passes for 68 yards, Gabriel failed to orchestrate a touchdown drive and finished with a QBR of 11.4. The Browns offense also failed to get the ball in the end zone after a muffed punt gave them the ball on the Baltimore 6-yard line in the second quarter.
While there has been a lot of chatter online about Sanders’ performance, most of the discourse has been negative — and perhaps rightfully so. But there were some flashes worth noting and it will be interesting to see how Sanders plays after a full week of practice with a gameplan that is tailored to his strengths.
Below, we’ll break down some of the positives from Shedeur’s NFL debut and how he can build on them in his first career start.
Extending Plays and Evading Pressure
Sanders was criticized for losing additional yardage on a pair of sacks in the second half but he also evaded pressure on a few occasions, including several all-out blitzes by the Ravens defense.
Baltimore showed heavy pressure and stacked the line of scrimmage on obvious passing downs with Sanders in the game. While he has to learn to avoid negative chunk plays, it’s hard to fault a rookie for trying to make something happen in his first taste of NFL action.
Sanders showed the ability to make the first defender miss and keep plays alive, especially on the final drive.
Pushing The Ball Downfield
Things started clicking for Sanders on the final drive. With just over 2:30 left in the fourth quarter, Sanders started the potential game-winning drive off with a 25-yard completion to rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
The catch was Hannin’s longest reception of the season and a welcome sign for a Browns offense that has struggled to generate chunk plays in the passing game since trading Joe Flacco.
Sanders had two other bright spots on the final drive but neither resulted in a completion. He just missed an open Isaiah Bond in the back of the end zone after evading pressure on a 2nd and 10 from the 25-yard line. On the very next play, he made a near-perfect back shoulder throw on a go route to undrafted free agent Gage Larvadain, who almost came down with the game-winning touchdown.
For reference, Gabriel has thrown 180 passes in six starts this season and only one of those went for a completion for 25 yards or longer. That pass also came on Sunday against the Ravens when he hit Cedric Tillman down the seam for a 26-yard catch-and-run.
Gabriel also ranks second-last in the NFL in yards per attempt (5.1) behind only Kirk Cousins (4.8) among quarterbacks who have thrown at least 50 passes this season.
Flashes of Mobility on Scrambles
Not known for his athleticism, the Browns’ fifth-round pick proved that he has enough speed to make plays with his legs on Sunday.
Sanders scrambled for a first down in the third quarter and nearly got another first down on a 3rd and 12 early in the fourth quarter. He also showed some feel in the pocket with a five-yard scramble on the final drive with under 2 minutes remaining.
Facing heavy pressure for most of the second half, Sanders was on the run for most of the afternoon and finished with three carries for 15 yards.
Showed Poise On Final Drive
Unsurprisingly, Sanders’ best drive came with the game on the line in the final two-plus minutes.
Known for his unwavering confidence, Sanders led the Browns down the field in the final two minutes and gave Cleveland a fighting chance to win the game.
Had Larvadain come down with the catch in the end zone, the narrative on Monday morning might have sounded a lot different, despite his stat line.
Took Accountability After The Loss
After the game, Sanders was visibly frustrated with his performance and remained on the bench while players greeted one another following the final whistle.
According to defensive end Myles Garrett, Sanders addressed the team in the locker room and took accountability for the loss.
The Browns reportedly did not let the rookie shoulder the blame for the loss, but it was a sign of leadership from the rookie fifth-round pick.
In a debut filled with rookie mistakes, Sanders still flashed just enough to make the Browns wonder what happens when the game slows down for him. Now the question is… was Sunday a stumble or the first step in the right direction?
