Shedeur Sanders takes final snap in 23-22 loss
Shedeur Sanders took the final snap for the Cleveland Browns in a 23-22 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints, falling short on a game-deciding two-point conversion attempt that ended the contest.
The rookie quarterback finished his first career NFL start completing 19 of 31 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, though he was sacked five times by a relentless New Orleans defense.
Sanders remarks trigger Saints social media mockery
The tension between Sanders and the Saints began during media sessions earlier in the week when Deshaun Watson entered concussion protocol and Sanders took first-team reps. Pro Football Network reported that when asked what he saw on defensive tape, Sanders offered a wide smile and said, “Yeah, I’ve seen a lot. I’m maturing. I’m maturing.”
Following the overtime victory, ESPN placed the Saints’ resulting social media posts mocking Sanders’ remarks at the top of their Week 9 trolling list. ClutchPoints detailed that Saints head coach Kellen Moore played the viral clip during a team meeting, while edge rusher Carl Granderson told reporters he couldn’t wait to hit Sanders on Sunday.
Scoring erupts late in regulation and overtime
Neither team managed a touchdown through the opening 54 minutes of regulation before the contest erupted into high-stakes scoring. Sanders connected with Casey Concepcion on a touchdown pass behind cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. to briefly put Cleveland ahead.
After New Orleans reclaimed the lead on a touchdown by Audric Estime with 58 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Sanders drove the Browns 33 yards to set up Andre Schmidt’s game-tying 51-yard field goal. In overtime, Tyler Shough threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Juwan Johnson for the Saints before Sanders answered with a 39-yard catch-and-run score to Harold Fannin Jr. with under a minute left.
Carl Granderson seals the overtime stop
Browns head coach Todd Monken opted against kicking the extra point to force a second extra period. “You probably won’t get the ball back, so you’re essentially playing for a tie or a loss if you kick it,” Monken said. “That’s not the way I want to play.
It was either win or lose right there.” Granderson pressured Sanders into rolling right on the game-ending two-point conversion attempt, and the pass intended for Denzel Boston fell incomplete. Granderson finished the afternoon with two of the Saints’ five total sacks.
Parallels to December and draft day history
The sequence mirrored a December loss to the Tennessee Titans where Sanders threw a late touchdown to Fannin, only for head coach Kevin Stefanski’s staff to remove Sanders for a wildcat play on the failed two-point conversion. On Sunday, under a different coaching staff, the ball remained in Sanders’ hands when the game was on the line.
Adding further narrative weight to the matchup, Dawg Pound Daily noted that during the 2025 NFL Draft, New Orleans held the No. 40 overall selection when Sanders received a prank phone call from individuals pretending to be Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. The Saints ultimately selected Shough at No. 40, while Sanders slid to the fifth round at No. 144.
Looking ahead to Houston
Shough finished the afternoon completing 21 of 35 passes for 265 yards and the overtime game-winning score. Reflecting on his performance after the final whistle, Sanders offered an assessment of his growth. “Just being able to be in that situation was good,” Sanders said.
“The moment didn’t feel too big. So, that’s how you know you’re growing as a quarterback in this league.” Dropping to 5-4 following consecutive losses, the Browns return home next Sunday to host the Houston Texans, with Watson’s availability depending entirely on his clearance from concussion protocol.
