{"id":323950,"date":"2025-12-01T11:26:06","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T11:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/323950\/"},"modified":"2025-12-01T11:26:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T11:26:06","slug":"shedeur-sanders-i-feel-like-i-failed-the-team-in-browns-26-8-loss-to-the-49ers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/323950\/","title":{"rendered":"Shedeur Sanders: \u2018I feel like I failed\u2019 the team in Browns 26-8 loss to the 49ers"},"content":{"rendered":"

CLEVELAND, Ohio \u2014 Shedeur Sanders once again assumed blame after a Browns<\/a> loss, this time Sunday\u2019s 26-8 loss to the 49ers<\/a> that dropped them to 3-9.<\/p>\n

The first time he did so was after the Browns\u2019 23-16 loss to the Ravens when he played the second half in place of a concussed Dillon Gabriel. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019re all able to see it when we\u2019re out there confident and I\u2019m sure you\u2019re all able to see when we\u2019re not,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cSo it\u2019s about being more confident whenever we\u2019re getting slow. It\u2019s about rallying the guys and I didn\u2019t do a great job of that today. Rallying everybody together whenever things aren\u2019t going our way and staying focused and staying on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He vowed to improve in that area going forward, and will have the chance to prove it next week against the Titans. Coach Kevin Stefanski named him the starter for that game<\/a>, but wouldn\u2019t look beyond that.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven when I shoot my shot and I miss, I\u2019ve just got to keep shooting and I\u2019ve just got to keep bringing everybody together,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cBecause I know the offense, I know the team counts on me to do my job and do what I\u2019ve got to do and I feel like I failed them today.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a chance to become the first Browns quarterback in the Super Bowl era to win his first two career starts with the team, Sanders went 16 for 25 for 149 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 93.6 rating. <\/p>\n

The touchdown was a 34-yard out-and-up to rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr., with Sanders about to get hit as he threw. The 49ers were flagged for an illegal substitution on the extra point attempt, and the Quinshon Judkins ran in for the two-point conversion to give the Browns a 8-7 lead with 39 seconds left in the half. <\/p>\n

But it was all the points the Browns would muster as they embarked on a series of mistakes to go with the 66-yard punt return by the 49ers in the first quarter that led to a TD. <\/p>\n

Fannin (3 of 5 targets, 43 yards, 1 TD) fumbled the snap on a wildcat sneak attempt on fourth and 1 in the third quarter and Gage Larvadain muffed a punt in the fourth. The two gaffes also led to 49ers TDs for a 23-8 command with 11:05 left, and the Browns never recovered. <\/p>\n

The Browns started one third-quarter drive at their 5 after Malachi Corley inexplicably ran out of bounds for no gain on a kickoff return there, and the Browns punted from their 6. <\/p>\n

After that drive — which included an incomplete pass to Jerry Jeudy after Sanders scrambled around in his own end zone — Sanders and Jeudy (3 of 4 for 26 yards) engaged in a heated sideline exchange. <\/p>\n

After the game, Sanders (16 of 25, 149 yards, three sacks, 1 TD, 0 INT, 93.6 rating) explained that it will take some time to get on the same page with Jeudy and trust him, as well as some of the others. <\/p>\n

Sanders, who just started practicing two weeks ago with the starters, threw once to Cedric Tillman, who caught the ball out of bounds, and connected with David Njoku on both of his targets, but for only 4 yards. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe ran the ball very well,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cWhen we got in certain passing situations and field position, everything like that, it wasn\u2019t the best. It wasn\u2019t the best. It was a comfort level. I think as players and as teammates, we have to be able to gel with each other and be comfortable with each other in every situation. That takes time. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes a lot of things. So this team is not going to be a microwave thing. We\u2019re going to have sparks. We\u2019re going to have here and there, but it\u2019s going to take time to be able to develop that chemistry with everybody, to be on the same page with Jerry.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stressed that \u201cof course, you want to be able to get him the ball, but you\u2019ve got to understand it\u2019s going to take time. I\u2019m more of a trust person and that\u2019s just what it boils down to. So we have to spend time on task, with all those guys, and be able to trust and be able to see things (through) the same lens. <\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of time out there, I would say passing-wise we\u2019re not seeing everything at the same lens or certain guys aren\u2019t in the same spot that we\u2019ve seen and we practiced. (By) spot, I\u2019m saying, who\u2019s lined up where. If you put Jerry on this side, or Jerry on this side. We\u2019ve just got to just be comfortable and just make everything consistent.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the opening drive, he overthrew a wide open Jeudy on a deep ball over the middle, and took full blame. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say overall it\u2019s about spending time,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s about spending time in those situations, and being able to gauge. So all quarterbacks know you got to cut through the win whenever you throw. So then at the same time, you gauging the speed and time and distance and travel and everything. I was just calculated off. That\u2019s all it was. It was just a missed shot. So then when I missed that shot, I got to stay on myself to keep shooting.\u201d <\/p>\n

Sanders left the game for a play with 9:19 left after he tweaked his ankle on a sack. Gabriel came in and completed a pass for no gain to Judkins, and Sanders went right back in. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just a little ankle,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cWe\u2019re good though.\u201d<\/p>\n

The good thing about Sanders\u2019 game is that he didn\u2019t throw an interception for the first time, and he evaded pressure well and got the ball off under duress. He was only sacked once through three quarters, and then the 49ers were able to tee off for two more in the fourth with a commanding lead. <\/p>\n

\u201c(I judge myself) by wins and losses,\u201d he said. \u201cObviously we lost, so I ain\u2019t played well. It\u2019s definitely things on film I\u2019m going to look back and want to get back and want to see. At least moving forward I know what we could do differently going about the week and being able to get fully, fully prepared for every possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

He harped again on rallying the troops, which will be a point of emphasis this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife\u2019s difficult in general, so that\u2019s not a big problem, I\u2019ll say, to me,\u201d he said. \u201cI just got to be better overall. I got to be able to rally everybody together when adversity is hitting. So even when I\u2019m off, I\u2019ve got great teammates around me that pick me up and keep going. But I think overall, I\u2019ve just got to have more of a role like that and be better at that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Judkins begged to differ, lauding Sanders\u2019 leadership skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s very poised, a great quarterback, a great leader,\u201d Judkins (23 carries, 91 yards, 4.0 average) said. \u201cHe handles all these situations the right way, continuing to show the guys around him his leadership, not only by his words but by his actions. So I\u2019m proud of him and how he handles everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is his energy infectious, even in a loss?<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I think it\u2019s a lot of guys like that just because of different personalities all throughout our offense,\u201d he said. \u201cEach guy brings a different energy, and you just embrace it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Judkins is confident it\u2019s the prevailing sentiment in the locker room. <\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody in the room believes in him,\u201d he said. \u201cEverybody on this team believes in him, so he\u2019ll continue to go out there and perform the way he does.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sanders, now 1-1 as a starter, is grateful for a chance to face the Titans at home next week. <\/p>\n

\u201cI remember when I wasn\u2019t playing so I never forget that feeling,\u201d he said. \u201cSo I try my best to not let that happen again for me to be in that position. But we fell short today and we just can\u2019t continue doing that. We can\u2019t continue doing that at all. So I know we let a lot of people down. We let the coaches down as players and everything today, but we will be ready to go next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sanders took exception to a question about the Browns\u2019 aggressiveness in going for it on fourth and 1 from their own 33 with 7:05 left in the third quarter and the Browns down only 10-8. Fannin fumbled the snap on the attempted sneak, and the 49ers recovered at the Browns 32, converting into a Brock Purdy 2-yard scramble for a TD. That made it 17-8 49ers. <\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, that\u2019s a rude question to ask if I think it was a great call by my coach,\u201d Sander said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you like the aggression?\u201d the reporter asked. \u201cDo you like the call?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI like being out there playing,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cSo whatever that comes with, it comes with. We\u2019re not going to be here and ever point a finger at a coach or do anything like that. That\u2019s extremely disrespectful and that\u2019s not even in my place. So I\u2019m thankful for being out there honestly. And I\u2019m thankful that he trusts us as an offense to be able to go out there and execute. Did we execute? No, we didn\u2019t, but I\u2019m just thankful that we have that trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stefanski, asked if he\u2019d look beyond next week with Sanders as his starter, said, \u201cI\u2019m not going to get into all that other than to say we all have to just play better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sanders, who converted only 3 of 11 third downs for 27%, made a few nice throws, including an 18-yard pass over the middle to Isaiah Bond in the first quarter on which his arm got hit. But later on the drive, he took a 13-yard sack on third down that took the Browns out of long field goal range when he had Fannin open on a sit down.<\/p>\n

Fannin also dropped a third down pass in the third quarter, and Sanders missed Bond on a deep ball near the 5 when he was singled up with the deep safety. <\/p>\n

It was a mixed bag for Sanders, who played most of the game without right tackle Jack Conklin, and had Wyatt Teller and Teven Jenkins alternating series at right guard because of a coach\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n

When Sanders has more time with the starters, an upgraded offensive line, and a more experienced supporting cast in general, he\u2019ll likely fare much better. For now, he\u2019s shown enough to warrant a longer look, at least next week against the Titans.<\/p>\n

How does he balance patience with a desire to win now?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure everybody\u2019s frustrated now, so I think it\u2019s easy for everybody to jump on board,\u201d he said. \u201cI think we all want to win. I think that\u2019s with Cleveland. I think that\u2019s with the coaches, that\u2019s what everybody wants \u2014 to win. So I feel like we\u2019ll be able to do what\u2019s necessary to get that result.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next week, it should easier to do so.<\/p>\n

Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial<\/a> of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com’s Browns reporters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CLEVELAND, Ohio \u2014 Shedeur Sanders once again assumed blame after a Browns loss, this time Sunday\u2019s 26-8 loss…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":323951,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[73847,165446,99],"class_list":["post-323950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-cleveland-browns-2025","tag-san-francisco-49ers-2025","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=323950"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323950\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/323951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=323950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=323950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=323950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}