Bringing Shedeur Sanders in to lead the Cleveland Browns’ offense had been one of the hot demands by fans. This past Monday Night Football, the rookie finally made his debut and got the chance to lead the Browns’ offense. However, the way he performed led many, including sports analyst Stephen A. Smith, to question his handling by head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Stephen A. Smith Feels Something Is Wrong With the Browns
The Browns have been going through a rough season, winning only two games out of the 10 they played so far. A significant reason for their position is their offense, which has been performing the worst, ranking at the bottom (32) in PFSN’s Offense Impact.
Critics have been raising sharp questions over the team’s offense and the rookie Dillon Gabriel, who’s been leading for the past five games and hasn’t been impressive so far. This further evoked frustration and questions about why head coach Stefanski wasn’t putting the command in Sanders’ hands.
After a long wait, Sanders finally entered the field to participate in his first NFL game when Gabriel left the field with a concussion due to a head injury during the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens. Sanders was sent into the game at the beginning of the third quarter, and it was a special moment for the QB, but his first impression wasn’t exactly what he wanted. Eventually, the Browns had to face the 23-16 defeat.
To many, including Smith, the 23-year-old QB looked unprepared. Smith raised questions over the team’s handling of the rookie. On his YouTube channel, he emphasised that any player could leave the field after a hit, so the backup should be prepared, but on Monday, that didn’t seem to be the case with QB2 Sanders.
“But how does he get zero snaps with the first team? How is a player able to say they were unfamiliar with his snap count? He wasn’t prepped at all. You’re a QB2, your QB1 is an undersized dude, a hit away from getting concussed and taken out of the game,” Smith said.
He also raised questions about head coach Stefanski. He made it clear that he isn’t against him; instead, he roots for him due to his friendship with his father, Ed Stefanski, who was an NBA executive. However, Smith feels that something is wrong with how Sanders is being handled, and if it’s not Stefanski, then there must be someone else responsible for it.
“I don’t root against Kevin Stefanski. I root for him because of his daddy. And I am here to tell you something ain’t right. Something smells. If it ain’t [Kevin Stefanski], it’s somebody else,” Smith said.
The debut was rough for Coach Prime’s son, but he and his fans are excited for the upcoming game on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. With Gabriel still in concussion protocol, it seems obvious that Sanders will be making his first start in the NFL.
