CLEVELAND, Ohio \u2014 Kevin Stefanski didn\u2019t hesitate to put the ball in Shedeur Sanders\u2019 hands on the fourth and 2 from the Browns 44 with 5:08 left in Sunday\u2019s 23-20 loss to the Bills, and the Browns trailing by the final margin.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for Sanders and the Browns, he escaped out of the back of the pocket and was dropped for a 13-yard loss by defensive end Greg Rousseau. <\/p>\n
But Stefanski would sign off on that play all over again.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll learn from every single one of those plays,\u201d Stefanski said. \u201cObviously feel good about him in those moments. He\u2019ll come through. We came up short yesterday as a football team, but I have all the faith in the world in Shedeur. I have all the faith in the world in our players in those moments.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sanders, in slipping to 1-4 as a starter, went 20 of 29 for 157 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions en route to a 64.9 rating. He was also sacked twice, and led the Browns with 49 yards rushing, including a 13-yard run on which he ducked Rousseau and magically emerged from heavy traffic. He also slipped an arm-tackle attempt on that field goal drive for another 16-yard run to the Buffalo 20. <\/p>\n
While fans were poised to watch Josh Allen run like Derrick Henry, it was Sanders who wreaked more havoc with his legs, albeit against the Bills\u2019 30th-ranked run defense. Allen, of course, suffered a foot injury at the end of the half, and barely ran after the break. Another time, Sanders broke free for a 14-yard to the Bills\u2019 15, and slid to protect himself. It led to a Harold Fannin Jr. TD run five plays later. <\/p>\n
\u201cThose were huge plays in that ballgame,\u201d Stefanski said. \u201cWe talked during the week about, we thought there may be some moments that he\u2019ll be able to tuck it and go, and I thought he did a nice job. Early, there was the one where, kind of bouncing around the pocket, had two hands on the ball, then went forward and made a huge play. Another time they were playing man and everything kind of flushed out in front of him, went vertical, made a huge play. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo those are very, very real yards. It\u2019s a tough dynamic for a defense to have to defend the quarterback when he tucks it and can go. So that\u2019s all part of his game. Obviously then you want to make sure that your quarterback\u2019s being smart at the end of those runs to make sure that he\u2019s taking care of himself as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sanders, playing behind a makeshift offensive line, endured a new issue this game in terms of batted passes, and will have to study them this week. He had one batted by Joey Bosa that was picked off and led to a field goal, and another in the third quarter where the Browns maintained possession. Sanders also threw slightly behind Quinshon Judkins on his first interception, and the ball went off his shoulder and was swiped. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re always looking to be as precise as we can in the pass game,\u201d Stefanski said. \u201cSometimes tipped balls are a part of this game. We have Shelby Harris who is outstanding at that on our side of seeing when the quarterback\u2019s getting ready to get rid of the ball. So we\u2019ll learn from those. I think as a coach, you always want to teach off of those and say, \u2018Hey, maybe you can be better with your eyes, maybe you can be better with your feet,\u2019 those type of things. Maybe it\u2019s wait for another window to throw it in. You just learn from all of those.\u201d<\/p>\n
It won\u2019t get any easier for Sanders Sunday against the Steelers and their 3-4 defense. Fourth in the NFL with 43 sacks, the Steelers will bring the heat and more disguised and unfamiliar coverages. They\u2019re also tied for 10th in the NFL with 12 INTs. The Steelers, however, will probably be without premier edge rusher T.J. Watt, who suffered a partially collapsed lung two weeks ago. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s going to be building off of all the things that we\u2019re doing right now, and the really good things that we\u2019re doing,\u201d Stefanski said. \u201cAnd then it\u2019s going to be a matter of understanding this defense, this Pittsburgh defense, which is different than the team we played before. Obviously Shedeur did not play in the first Pittsburgh game, so first time versus that group. So you really have to spend a lot of time this week getting to know this defensive front, their coverages, those type of things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two more chances for Sanders to show the Browns he can be their guy, Sunday at home against the Steelers, and the following week on the road in Cincinnati. <\/p>\n