"I don't think I played good…I don't think I played good at all." Shedeur Sanders didn't cut himself any slack. The 47 yard-25% completion performance wasn't what he was looking for in his first ever NFL start.

However, as Gronk stated, "He has a week to prepare, to get knowledge of the playbook, of the plays they’re going to run…This is the week we can judge his performance. Shedeur is going to bring it." With Gabriel ruled out due to concussion protocol, Shedeur Sanders will start the game. Let's see how that can look.

To begin with, Sanders has shown great timing in passing, especially in a traditional pro-style offense that uses dropbacks and play-action. He can throw the ball precisely between defenders and hit tight spots. This will come in handy in Week 12.

Unlike the Ravens, the Raiders keep things simple, going with more static coverages and few pre-snap disguises. If Sanders work through his reads, we might see some incredible passing play. The Browns can open up the defensive, mixing Judkins ground game combined with Jerry Jeudy, David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. as the primary targets. It will be important for Cleveland to cover the Raiders' blitz tactics

However, there are some holes in Sanders' play. When defenders get close and the pocket collapses, Sanders struggles. He backs away from pressure, takes unnecessary sacks, or makes bad throws that led to turnovers. Just take the Ravens' loss. Sanders looked incredibly flustered. Although he was thrust onto the field with Gabriel's injury, he still gave up an interception. With a whole week of preparation behind him, Sanders has a chance to shut down critics.

Even Kevin Stefanski knows it, as he explained when announcing Sanders starting in Week 12.

Kevin Stefanski Talks About Shedeur Sanders' Preparation

Right off the bat, Stefanski made one thing very clear. Sanders is his preferred pick this weekend. When asked if there was any chance if Bailey Zappe could see some time, Stefanski responded, "He’ll [Shedeur Sanders] get every rep."

And we know why Stefanski feels confident. "I think he’s excited about the opportunity, but he’s so focused on the work that goes into it. So, as you can imagine, any player, certainly at the quarterback position, there’s a lot that gets put on your plate. So, he’s working hard."

With the game just a few hours away, do you think Shedeur Sanders can perform well this time around?

Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar