It was impossible for even his harshest critics to be critical of Shedeur Sanders in his preseason debut for the Cleveland Browns on Friday night. Sanders played the majority of three quarters, and completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, helping lead the Browns to a 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on the road.
Sanders' debut got off to a bumpy start. He started the game with a three-and-out and was just 3-of-7 for 19 yards through the game's first two possessions. But he got hot in the second quarter, completing 8-of-11 passing for 84 yards and two touchdowns to turn a 7-0 deficit into a 14-7 halftime lead for Cleveland.
Both of his touchdown passes showcased his unique accuracy and understanding of the game. On the first, with his momentum carrying him left, Sanders fit the ball into a tight window, in between two defenders, for a touchdown to Kaden Davis.
Late in the first half, Sanders found Davis in the endzone, this time after feeling early pressure, trusting his offensive line and leading the rushing defender into a blocker, and delivering a strike for a touchdown.
His performance sparked plenty of praise. Browns fans flocked to social media to make the case for Sanders to be QB1 moving forward. His Dad, ever the cheerleader and support system for his kids, was effusive in his praise. Even LeBron James couldn't help but be impressed with what he saw.
But you can't please everybody. You are always going to have haters and naysayers. This time, the only real critic of Sanders' performance on Friday night was Sanders himself.
Shedeur Sanders didn't think he was sharp in his preseason debut
Sanders was interviewed by the NFL Network in the fourth quarter after his day ended, and he had ceded the field to veteran Tyler Huntley. Despite the praise from the broadcast team, the former Colorado QB was critical of himself.
"I don't feel like I was sharp at all, honestly," Sanders said. "I think I was okay today, but you know, the next opportunity I get, I just, you know, got to build on this one."
Sanders certainly wasn't perfect. He missed some throws he would normally make. His 61% completion percentage against the Panthers was a far cry from the 74% he completed during his final season in Boulder. But it's hard to be too critical of that kind of performance in his NFL debut. If he were your normal, everyday fifth-round pick, this kind of performance would have come out of nowhere. But even though he was a fifth-round pick, he carries first-round hype and expectations from those who are praying for him to fail.
But those folks are liable to be disappointed. Because Sanders doesn't just have the skillset to be great, he's got the mentality. That preternatural drive of never being satisfied. He's just scratching the surface of the kind of quarterback he can become in the NFL.
He might view his performance as just "okay," but chances are it opened up some eyes in the Browns' front office and coaching staff.