The Cleveland Browns continue to deal with the intense fallout from their 32-13 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 8, with quarterback Dillon Gabriel bearing most of the blame for the defeat with disastrous mistakes during the final two quarters, increasing calls for the return of Shedeur Sanders.
The fans’ confidence in the rookie worsened considerably after his third loss in four games as a starter. He had 156 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in a terrible performance against the Patriots, completing only 21 passes (only two of which were to wide receivers).
Browns Continue To Keep Faith in Gabriel and Leave Sanders Out
It is worth remembering that Sanders was officially inactive due to a back injury suffered near the end of the week. Head coach Kevin Stefanski stated that the backup quarterback did not feel well during pregame activities. Despite this, fans suspect that his preference for Gabriel impacted the decision to leave Sanders inactive, irritating analysts who cover the Browns regularly.
During today’s episode of “The Tony Rizzo Show,” ESPN’s Tony Rizzo strongly criticized Gabriel’s performance and categorically stated that Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry are primarily responsible for the Browns’ current situation. Rizzo blamed both for selecting the rookie quarterback in the third round of the draft (94th overall pick). “The front office needs to go. We need to change everything,” Rizzo blasted.
“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???” – Rizz says it’s time to see Shedeur Sanders.
Do you agree? https://t.co/8xIkhTd1Nw pic.twitter.com/hpyNmY6dnG
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 27, 2025
His performance in Week 8, with only 60% of his passes completed, raised serious questions about whether Gabriel has what it takes to play professionally as a starter in the NFL. In five games this season, he has thrown for 702 yards with a completion percentage of only 59.9%.
Stefanski told reporters shortly after the loss to the Patriots that he intends to keep Gabriel as the starting QB in Week 10. “I just want to make the point that we just have to be better in every area, and we’ll look at everything we do, including how we’re putting these guys in position to succeed,” he said.
“Are we doing enough? When I say looking at every position, are we doing enough with the quarterback position? Do we need to do a better job? And I think I know the answer is yes,” Stefanski told reporters.
However, everything indicates that Sanders will likely get his chance as a starter starting in November if the rookie fails to perform well against the New York Jets (who currently rank 27th in the PFSN Defense Impact metric with a 67.2 DEFi), one of the worst teams in the current season.
With an average of less than 5.0 yards per pass, the current starter also shows enormous uncertainty in the passing game, making his movements predictable to opposing defenses. While the Browns are seeing their chances of reaching the playoffs diminish more and more, Berry remains silent, avoiding talking to the press.