The numbers behind Shedeur Sanders’ starting debut

• The numbers behind Shedeur Sanders’ debut need context: His 66.7% accuracy rate and average target depth of 9.4 meters look strong at first glance, but four deep attempts accounted for the majority of that vertical profile. Clearing these shots drops his aDOT to just 1.56 meters further upfield, revealing a debut largely based on quick play and behind-the-line concepts rather than sustained aggression.

• Production against the blitz: When the Raiders brought in extra rushers, Sanders remained calm and aggressive. He completed just two of his five attempts, but generated 69 yards on those completions. The result was a passing grade of 78.0, seventh in position.

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Cleveland didn’t need Shedeur Sanders perfect in week 12. They just wanted him to be better than what they saw a week ago – and he was.

After a historically rough upset in Week 11, Sanders’ first NFL start delivered something the Browns haven’t seen in a long time: explosive play and enough composure to end a seventeen-game losing streak that saw the Cleveland quarterbacks make their first start.

Let’s break down the numbers from his starting debut in Week 12, but first some brief context on the introduction to NFL action that he had to work past.

Week 11 was as bad as it gets

Sanders’ cameo in Week 11 was about as rough as an NFL debut can be.

Inserted with 12:43 left in the third quarter after Dillon Gabriel left with a concussion, Sanders went 4-for-16 for 47 yards, one interception and two sacks, finishing with a 13.5 passer rating. He made one big throw, but also recorded three turnover-worthy plays, moving the chains just three times on passing plays.

His PFF grade of 27.4 ranked last among all quarterbacks that week and 192nd among the 199 qualifying first-start game grades in our database since 2006.

Cleveland finished with just 187 yards of offense, only 64 of which came with Sanders under center. Gabriel had completed 7 of 10 for 68 yards in the first half.

The only acceptable takeaway entering week 12: It can’t get any worse.

Week 12: A real starting debut and real improvement

Sanders didn’t increase the scoring in his starting debut, but he made the plays Cleveland needed and avoided the Week 11 snowball. He finished 11 of 20 for 209 yards, one touchdown and one interception, with one big throw and one turnover-worthy play.

All told, he generated 10.45 yards per attempt, the 15th-best single-game mark by a Browns QB since 2006.

Accuracy and depth of target

Sanders’ accuracy profile was one of the bright spots of his first start. His 66.7% accuracy rate ranked seventh among quarterbacks in Week 12, and combined with an official average target depth of 9.4 yards – the sixth highest of the week – it initially paints the picture of a rookie pushing the ball vertically with confidence.

In reality, that aDOT figure was heavily inflated by four specific throws: the 52-yard strike to Isaiah Bond, a 39-yard completion to Jerry Jeudy in the second quarter, and two deep incompletions that traveled 31 and 34 yards in the air. Once you remove those four attempts, Sanders’ average target depth drops to just 1.56 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

That’s not a criticism or even a judgment; it’s just the context. These numbers help explain the Why behind his box score. The under-heavy breakdown shows that most of his work came with fast, low-risk throws, even though the official ADOT suggests a more aggressive profile.

Six of his attempts came from behind the line of scrimmage, with another six from the short range between 1 and 9 yards. He tested the average level (10-19 yards) only twice, and the four aforementioned deep shots (20-plus yards) represented the entirety of his vertical passing profile. Two additional plays were simply throwaways.

The efficiency of those throws varied across the field. Sanders was most productive behind the line of scrimmage, completing five of six passes for 86 yards, including the touchdown to Dylan Sampson that turned a simple check-down into a 66-yard score.

Shedeur’s first career TD pass! Sampson runs 66 yards for the score.

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—NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2025

His short-yardage passing was more uneven — four completions on six attempts for 32 yards and the interception — while his two intermediate throws fell incomplete.

Raiders D picks up Sanders

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—NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2025

The vertical play provided the most juice, as he went 2-for-4 on deep attempts for 91 yards, including the best throw of his afternoon.

SHEDEUR SANDERS GOES DEEP, 53 meters long.

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—NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2025

From a clean bag

Rookie quarterbacks typically rely on clean-book situations to keep themselves steady, but this was an area where Sanders struggled to generate meaningful production. He completed six of his nine attempts for 93 yards and a touchdown from clean pockets, with a passer rating of 137.7. But the underlying process did not match the efficiency of the box score line. His average target depth was just 6.6 yards, none of these throws qualified as big throws or turnover-worthy plays, and only one of the completions set the chains in motion.

That combination led to a passing grade of 50.4, which ranked him 26th out of 27 qualifying quarterbacks for the week.

Under pressure

Sanders’ most promising work came under pressure. And he had to be sharp, because no quarterback faced more pressure in Week 12. He was pressured on an NFL-high 57.1% of his dropbacks, a figure that forced him to operate outside the structure for much of the afternoon.

Nevertheless, he managed the chaos quite well. Sanders completed five of his 11 attempts for 116 yards under pressure, producing one big throw and one turnover-worthy play. He picked up just one sack and moved the chains three times, though his passer rating on those throws was just 46.0.

However, his mark of 52.8 ranked 13th out of 27 qualifiers, a relatively respectable performance considering the environment.

Against the Blitz

This was his strongest situational division. When the Raiders brought in extra rushers, reMained calm and aggressive. He completed just two of his five attempts, but generated 69 yards on those completions, both moving the chains. His average target depth rose to 18.4 meters – equal to the second highest mark of the week – and his only big throw came off a blitz, the bomb off the platform for Bond. The result was a passing grade of 78.0, seventh in position.

This is the style of play that PFF favored in his college tape: calm, decisive and willing to attack downfield when the defense challenges him.

When not flashy

The picture changed when Las Vegas was back in the news. Against standard four- and five-man rushes, Sanders completed nine of fifteen attempts for 140 yards with a touchdown and an interception. None of his throws in these situations qualified as big throws, while one of his throws earned a turnover-worthy designation.

He moved the chains just twice and finished with a passing grade of 36.9, ranking him 25th out of 26 quarterbacks with enough snaps to qualify.

Play action versus non-play action

The Browns did not rely heavily on play action and the results were modest. Sanders completed two of his four attempts for 56 yards using play fakes, generating one first down and a passer rating of 95.8. His passing grade on those throws came in at 45.4, which ranked him 19th on the week. On traditional dropbacks, he went 9-for-16 for 153 yards, the touchdown and the interception, with three first downs and an 83.6 rating. His non-play-action grade (55.1) also ranked 19th.

Screen game vs. no screen game

Cleveland leaned on screens to make Sanders comfortable, and the rookie took the freebies. He attempted five screen passes, completing four for 69 yards and the touchdown to Sampson. These throws had an average target depth of -6 yards, but produced a perfect passer rating of 158.3.

Everything off-screen play was much more difficult. Sanders completed seven of his 15 non-screen passes for 140 yards and the interception, yielding just three first downs and a passer rating of 52.1. His one big throw and turnover-worthy play both fell outside the screen structure, and his passing grade on those plays stood at 47.3, 24th out of 27 quarterbacks.

The bottom line

Ultimately, none of this should be taken as a sweeping judgment. It is one beginning. The sample is small. But it was also a clear step forward from what we saw in Week 11, and that’s important for a rookie quarterback trying to recalibrate his position.

We liked that Sanders came out of the draft for a reason: back-to-back seasons with PFF grades above 88.0, ready for pressure and a clean serving style that translated to his college tape every week.

If he continues to pile up practice reps and settles for the speed of the NFL game, the Browns should see more of that version. There’s still plenty of runway left, and this was at least a step in the right direction.