Shedeur Sanders will get another opportunity. And this time, his chances of success may be improved.
Sanders, the polarizing rookie quarterback for the Cleveland Browns who has faced intense scrutiny since he plummeted through the NFL draft in April, is set to make his first NFL start Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. The Browns made the announcement Wednesday, with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel in the NFL concussion protocol.
“I just like new challenges,” Sanders said at a news conference. “So it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be fun going out there doing what I’ve got to do. And the fact that we are up against time, we are up against growing real fast — that’s what’s exciting. That’s what is the rush that everybody feels. That’s the excitement. That’s what everybody is going to be in the stadium lit to understand how quickly it’s going to take for us to have success. And I truly believe it won’t be long.”
Shedeur Sanders is set to make his first regular-season start
» https://t.co/094KwGT0O1 pic.twitter.com/2yLQULZ1jN
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 19, 2025
“I like pressure in life… The game gotta speak.”@ShedeurSanders | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/GdswNZCChK
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 19, 2025
The circumstances will be more favorable for Sanders than they were last Sunday, when he struggled while making his NFL regular season debut in relief of Gabriel during a loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Cleveland. Sanders completed only 4 of 16 passes. He threw an interception and had a fumble, although it was recovered by the Browns.
To that point, Sanders had taken no practice-field snaps with the starting offense. After being chosen in the fifth round of the draft, two rounds after Gabriel, Sanders spent training camp and the preseason as the Browns’ No. 4 quarterback behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Gabriel. He moved up to third when Pickett was traded to the Raiders before the season, then ascended to the No. 2 spot behind Gabriel when Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals last month.
Sanders mentioned following the game last Sunday that he had to become more familiar throwing to wideout Jerry Jeudy and the other receivers on the starting offense. He spoke of the need to spend a week preparing for things that suit his game.
Shedeur Sanders throws his first career interception in the NFL (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/r9fkP4fE4p
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 16, 2025
The Browns will have the chance to tailor their game plan to Sanders’s strengths, and he’ll have the entire week to practice with the starters.
“I know our fans have a lot of expectations and hope,” Sanders said Wednesday. “And I would be doing a disservice to myself and disservice to the organization if I didn’t feel like I am the guy. I did everything I need to. I’m doing everything I need to, to prepare, to be the best version of myself as possible. With the circumstances, everything got to be sped up. And that’s great. I like pressure in life. I’m just excited for everything. So, you know, I feel like I’m the guy. I know I’m the guy. But you’ll just have to be able to see. The game got to speak.”
Sanders also had off-field issues with which to deal last weekend. Approximately $200,000 worth of property was stolen from Sanders’s home Sunday, according to the Medina County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio. Surveillance footage showed three suspects with masks and gloves entering the residence around 6:46 p.m. and exiting with property around 6:58 p.m. The sheriff’s office said Tuesday it was investigating the incident.
Approximately $200,000 in property was stolen from Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders’ home during a break-in on Sunday during Cleveland’s game against the Ravens, according to the Medina County Sheriff’s Office. The incident is under investigation. Video footage captured three… pic.twitter.com/GtBFfLgaKh
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) November 18, 2025
Five games to watch this weekend
All times are Eastern
Steelers at Bears, Sunday at 1 p.m.…. The first-place Steelers against the first-place Bears. Really.
Colts at Chiefs, Sunday at 1 p.m.…. It’s getting close to now-or-never time for the Chiefs.
Jets at Ravens, Sunday at 1 p.m.…. The rejuvenated Ravens try to push their record above .500.
Eagles at Cowboys, Sunday at 4:25 p.m.…. The Eagles are winning but the offense needs to start doing its part.
Buccaneers at Rams, Sunday at 8:20 p.m.…. The Rams have a chance to be the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed.
Rodgers’s wrist
The Pittsburgh Steelers likely will make a decision late in the week whether quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be able to play Sunday at Chicago.
Rodgers has a fracture in his left wrist that did not require surgery, Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday. Given that it is Rodgers’s nonthrowing hand, Tomlin left open the possibility that Rodgers may be able to play Sunday. The medical staff will brace the wrist and the team will evaluate its stability and functionality, Tomlin said.
Veteran backup Mason Rudolph, who took over after Rodgers was injured during Sunday’s triumph over the Bengals in Pittsburgh, probably would be in line to start against the Bears if Rodgers is unable to play. Rudolph and rookie Will Howard will get additional practice-field work while Rodgers is unable to practice, Tomlin said. He did not rule out the possibility of Howard getting some practice-field work with the starters.
Aaron Rodgers is grimacing in pain while holding his left hand/wrist pic.twitter.com/lynkCrGrQT
— NFL on CBS
(@NFLonCBS) November 16, 2025
Rodgers did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.
“A little later in the week, we’ll take a look at Aaron. ,.. Friday is probably a big day in terms of some of those things,” Tomlin said at a news conference Tuesday.
Rodgers wanted to return to the game against the Bengals, Tomlin said, but the Steelers overruled him. He undoubtedly will push to be allowed to play against the Bears in what likely would be his final career appearance at Soldier Field.
“Aaron always wants to play,” Tomlin said. “[The] opponent has nothing to do with it.”
Mason Rudolph and Will Howard were the two QBs working during the portion of practice open for filming. As Mike Tomlin said yesterday, Aaron Rodgers NOT in action today. pic.twitter.com/vdK1e9gO5D
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) November 19, 2025
Cousins’s return
Kirk Cousins returns to the role of starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons when they play Sunday at New Orleans. Cousins takes over for second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who was placed on injured reserve and will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a partially torn ACL in his left knee.
Many in and around the league were surprised when the Falcons didn’t trade Cousinsduring the offseason, after Penix took over as the starter late last season, or before this season’s NFL trade deadline. They retained the veteran and are paying him a salary of $27.5 million this season. He was the team’s insurance policy for situations just like this one, although the Falcons’ playoff hopes are all but extinguished after five straight losses that have dropped them to 3-7.
Cousins has a guaranteed roster bonus of $10 million next year, under the terms of his contract. It’s unclear how many productive days he has left, at age 37. So the remainder of this season could amount to an evaluation period for the Falcons and perhaps other NFL teams to determine whether Cousins is still capable of being a starter. Penix’s injury makes that a pertinent issue again for the Falcons.
Penix tore the ACL in his right knee twice while he was in college.
After further medical evaluation, it has been determined Michael Penix Jr. will undergo season-ending surgery for a partially torn ACLhttps://t.co/uDlJqJ17xE pic.twitter.com/VC0TvTNpt2
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 19, 2025
Dynasty done?
If the Kansas City Chiefs want to keep the NFL’s latest dynasty intact, it’s time for them to get back to winning. They’ve lost two straight games to drop to 5-5 entering Sunday’s game against Indianapolis at Arrowhead Stadium. They’re 3½ games behind the first-place Denver Broncos and 1½ games behind the second-place Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West. They’re a game out of the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC.
They have reached seven straight AFC championship games and five of the past six Super Bowls. They’ve won nine straight AFC West titles. They actually seemed better equipped to make a championship run this season than in some other seasons in which they endured early struggles before gaining their stretch-drive footing.
Once wide receiver Rashee Rice returned from his six-game suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy to begin the season, the Chiefs had Rice to go with fellow wideouts Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown and tight end Travis Kelce as playmakers for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The defense is solid.
The Chiefs are winless in one-score games this season. Heading into the 2025 season, Kansas City held a streak of 17-straight wins in games decided by 8 PTS or fewer. pic.twitter.com/rBEBhzj81E
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 18, 2025
But the Chiefs simply have not made the key plays in crucial moments. They’re 0-5 in games decided by eight points or fewer, that after bringing a 17-game winning streak in such games into this season.
It’s never wise to count out Kelce, Mahomes and Coach Andy Reid. If the Chiefs can find a way to reach the postseason, they are a team with championship mettle that no opponent would be eager to face. But first, they have to get there.
“We’re not quite as negative as the outside world is,” Reid said during a video news conference this week. “We know [what] we need to clean up. And we need to do it. But the guys, they get it. I mean, some of these guys have been through some pretty good seasons. And this isn’t like this one is lost. We’ve just got to clean up a few of these things. And the urgency level, obviously we need to make sure we take care of that now.”
Skattebo’s (mis)adventures
It could not have been particularly comforting to the New York Giants and their fans that running back Cam Skattebo, only weeks removed from having his promising rookie season ended early by a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula, was in the middle of an on-camera scuffle from his ringside seat at a wrestling event Monday night.
No matter how staged and controlled the confrontation may have been, Skattebo’s involvement created the risk that he could have suffered a setback in his recovery. He was quick to react to the attention that the incident received.
“Aye, honestly if you don’t like that I’m having a good time while dealing with a tough time, then just go ahead and unfollow and casually move on,” Skattebo wrote on social media. “I’m not able to play football and have the fun I’ve been having my whole life so I am doing things outside the box trying to find stuff to keep me happy. Enjoy the rest of y’all’s week and just don’t talk about me if you ain’t got nothing nice to say.”
Cam Skattebo is in action Monday night: pic.twitter.com/0uhHAGkGPe
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 18, 2025
Etc.
The Bengals will be without wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase for their game Sunday at home against the New England Patriots. His one-game suspension for spitting at Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey during last Sunday’s game was upheld. His appeal was rejected by Jordy Nelson, one of the hearing officers for on-field discipline jointly appointed by the NFL and NFL Players Association….
Hearing officer Jordy Nelson, jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA, has upheld the one-game suspension of Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase.
— Michael Signora (@NFLfootballinfo) November 19, 2025
The Washington Commanders are on a six-game losing streak that has dropped them to 3-8. Even so, they’ll make a prime-time appearance when they return from their bye to host the Broncos on Nov. 30. The NFL did not flex that game out of the Sunday night slot. The Broncos, also on their bye, will take an eight-game winning streak and a 9-2 record into that game….
Raiders part-owner Tom Brady attended the team’s loss Monday night to the Dallas Cowboys in Las Vegas. But this time, Brady did not sit in the coaches’ box wearing a headset. He was seen watching the game from a suite….
Brady watching tonight from the suites, not the coaches’ booth. And not wearing a headset pic.twitter.com/S4RazY3qoq
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) November 18, 2025
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and kicker Justin Tucker are available to be signed, if any team is interested in either of them. Beckham was reinstated this week from his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on banned performance-enhancing substances. Last week, Tucker was reinstated from his 10-week suspension for violating the personal conduct policy.
The post Shedeur Sanders gets the start for the Browns: ‘The game got to speak’ appeared first on Washington Post.
