Browns' Kevin Stefanski Noncommittal on Shedeur Sand...

By Robert Marvi

Contributing Sports Writer

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All eyes across the NFL were on rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders as he made his first start in the pros on Sunday for the Cleveland Browns. The polarizing son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders didn't exactly play an outstanding game, as he completed 11 of 20 pass attempts and had one touchdown pass and one interception, but he did show some scattered promise.

The Browns won, 24-10, making the younger Sanders the first Browns quarterback to get a victory in his first career start since the current iteration of the franchise began play in 1995. But its fans may have to wait a while before getting to see the University of Colorado Boulder product play again.

After Sunday's game, coach Kevin Stefanski was noncommittal about having Sanders start in Week 13 when Cleveland will host the San Francisco 49ers.

“I’m not going to get into that,” Stefanski said. “Obviously, proud of him and proud of this offense and there are a ton of things to learn from, but I’m just going to worry about today.”

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The younger Sanders played excellent football last season in college while playing for his father, who is the head coach of the Buffaloes. He led the Big 12 with 4,134 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns while leading everyone in NCAA Division I FBS football with a 74% pass completion rate, but many had doubts about whether he would make it at the next level.

Those doubts emanated from the signal-caller's lack of elite talents and skills, as well as his attitude, which some found off-putting. Some projected him to be a first-round pick, but he fell hard until Cleveland scooped him up in the fifth round.

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On Sunday, the younger Sanders provided one highlight when he threw a long pass downfield to wide receiver Isaiah Bond for a 52-yard gain. It was very close to being the rookie's first touchdown pass in the NFL.

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Cleveland now has a 3-8 record and virtually nothing to play for, other than perhaps the development of its young players. As a result, a strong argument could be made that it should continue to start Sanders, at least for the time being, especially since fellow rookie QB Dillon Gabriel doesn't seem to have a ton of potential.

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Gabriel has played in eight games and started in six of them so far this season. The third-round draft pick out of the University of Oregon has totaled 937 passing yards, seven touchdown passes and two interceptions while completing 59.2% of his pass attempts.

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