For most of Sunday's game, Shedeur Sanders looked a lot like Deshaun Watson (with regard to his play, not the ... other stuff).
asserted
Sanders → look → play
But a few key plays, including one of the best throws of Sanders' young career to help set up a game-tying field goal, are likely to have Browns fans demanding that the team turn the keys over to the 24-year-old son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
asserted
team → include → Sanders
Sanders finished 19-of-31 for 297 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Cleveland's 23-22 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints.
asserted
Sanders → finish → Saints
Those numbers look pretty good, but they also make his afternoon look quite a bit better than it actually was.
asserted
it → look → ?
Which, again, sounds a lot like Watson's season.
asserted
Which → sound → season
Sanders got his first start of the year after Watson entered the concussion protocol during the week.
asserted
Watson → get → week
Watson cleared the protocol Saturday, but the Browns still made him inactive Sunday.
asserted
him → clear → protocol
Head coach Todd Monken had already named Sanders the starter Friday after Watson was unable to participate in team reps during the week.
asserted
Watson → name → week
That gave Sanders, who started seven games as a rookie last season, another chance to prove he deserves to be the team's starter moving forward.
asserted
he → give → chance
For much of the afternoon, he didn't do a whole lot with it.
asserted
he → do → it
Shedeur Sanders had plenty of help on his biggest plays
Sanders threw for just 38 yards in the first half and was sacked five times for a loss of 37 yards on the day.
asserted
Sanders → have → day
He didn't look entirely comfortable, and some of those sacks were particularly costly.
asserted
some → look → sacks
Cleveland's first two goal-to-go possessions produced three points, with Sanders taking a sack on each.
asserted
Sanders → go → each
The second of those opportunities came courtesy of a tremendous effort by Browns receiver Denzel Boston.
asserted
second → come → Boston
Sanders underthrew a wide-open Boston down the sideline, but Boston adjusted to the throw, snatched it over the defender and then took it inside the Saints' 5-yard line for a 60-yard completion.
asserted
Boston → underthrew → completion
After a run went backward, Sanders took a seven-yard sack that pushed Cleveland back to the 12.
asserted
that → go → 12
The Browns settled for a field goal.
asserted
Browns → settle → goal
With Cleveland trailing 9-6 in the fourth quarter, Sanders found KC Concepcion for a 64-yard score.
asserted
Sanders → trail → score
It was a huge play that gave the Browns the lead with 5:21 remaining, but Concepcion was wide open on what appeared to be a blown coverage by New Orleans.
asserted
what → give → Orleans
Concepcion caught the pass at the Saints' 28-yard line, then made a nice move to cut back across the field to outrun two Saints defenders into the end zone.
asserted
Concepcion → catch → zone
Sanders deserves credit for finding the wide-open Concepcion and delivering a catchable ball that gave him room to work.
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that → deserve → room
But it was a throw that every NFL quarterback should be able to make.
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quarterback → make → that
Cleveland then had a chance to run out the clock and win in regulation after its defense forced a punt.
asserted
defense → have → punt
Sanders picked up a first down with his legs, but a holding penalty and another sack helped derail the possession.
asserted
penalty → pick → possession
New Orleans got the ball back and scored a touchdown to take a 16-13 lead with 58 seconds left.
asserted
Orleans → get → seconds
Sanders delivered his best throw when Cleveland needed it most
Facing third-and-6 from his own 30 on the ensuing drive, Sanders moved outside the pocket and fired a 30-yard strike to Jerry Jeudy while taking a massive hit from Chase Young.
asserted
Sanders → deliver → Young
Sanders eventually led the Browns into position for Andre Szmyt's 51-yard field goal, which tied the game with eight seconds remaining and forced the game to overtime.
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which → lead → overtime
The Browns won the toss and elected to kick, something I've repeatedly said is the wrong decision for NFL teams.
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I → win → teams
Cleveland ignored my advice, and New Orleans promptly marched 74 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown.
asserted
Orleans → ignore → touchdown
Sanders answered by completing six of eight passes on a 67-yard touchdown drive.
asserted
Sanders → answer → drive
Harold Fannin Jr., though, deserves most of the credit for the play that brought Cleveland within a point.
asserted
that → deserve → point
Fannin caught a short pass just beyond the line of scrimmage, broke multiple tackles and turned it into a 39-yard touchdown.
asserted
Fannin → catch → touchdown
Cleveland went for a two-point conversion and the win, but the New Orleans pass rush immediately pressured Sanders.
asserted
rush → go → Sanders
He scrambled to his right before throwing an incomplete pass intended for Boston, ending the game.
asserted
He → scramble → game
Boston's catch, Concepcion's touchdown and Fannin's catch-and-run accounted for 163 of Sanders' 297 passing yards.
asserted
catch → account → yards
His receivers did a lot of work to make that final line look as good as it did.
asserted
it → do → work
Before Sunday's game, Monken said he assumed Watson would remain the starter when healthy.
asserted
Watson → say → game
But Watson hasn't exactly done enough to cement his status as the Browns' starting quarterback.
asserted
Watson → do → quarterback
Cleveland entered Sunday at 5-3, with all five victories coming by four points or fewer.
asserted
victories → enter → points
Their record has made Watson's season look better than his actual play.
asserted
season → make → play
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
