By The Athletic NFL Staff

Nov. 20, 2025 5:38 pm EST

Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the subject of much debate even before he was drafted. After a rough NFL debut last Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, that debate isn’t going away.

Though he completed his first two passes on Sunday, Sanders struggled mightily. The Browns didn’t score in the second half, and Sanders was 4-of-16 passing for 47 yards with an interception. He was also sacked twice and faced heavy blitzes from the Ravens.

In this week’s episode of “Why You’re Wrong,” former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel breaks down a couple of Sanders’ mistakes in his first game. Whether it was his offensive line failing to protect him or missing a wide-open receiver, Sanders is not ready to be an NFL starter, Daniel says. But it may not be for the reasons you think.

Sanders will start at quarterback Sunday in Las Vegas as fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, the Browns’ starter since Week 5, remains in the NFL concussion protocol with no firm timeline for clearance.

For more in-depth film breakdowns, subscribe to The Athletic YouTube channel or The Athletic Football Show channel. Daniel, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen are providing weekly breakdowns throughout the season, ranging from quarterback analysis and X’s and O’s breakdowns of key moments in tight games to bigger-picture looks at how teams have reshaped their identities mid-season.

Nov 20, 2025

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