Shedeur Sanders Shows Growth in Browns Loss, While Steelers Grapple With Discipline and Direction
The Browns may have taken a loss to the 49ers, but rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders continues to show flashes of the potential Cleveland is banking on. Sanders completed 16-of-25 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown-solid numbers for a young QB still getting his footing in the NFL. Head coach Kevin Stefanski acknowledged there’s room for improvement, but the tone in Cleveland remains optimistic.
“There are things that he wants back,” Stefanski admitted, referring to some of Sanders’ decisions. “But the bottom line is we have to continue to put our players in position to succeed.”
That’s the reality of developing a rookie quarterback in real time. There’s no substitute for live reps against NFL defenses, and Sanders is getting exactly that. Each game brings a new challenge-new coverages, new disguises, new pressure looks-and Stefanski knows that experience is the best teacher.
“He wants to continue to get better and better, and that’s the right attitude to have,” Stefanski added. “That’s why we’ll continue to work.”
The Browns are clearly playing the long game with Sanders. He’s not being asked to carry the offense just yet, but he’s showing enough poise and command to justify the coaching staff’s confidence.
The flashes are there. Now it’s about stacking good decisions, learning from the tough ones, and continuing the climb.
Meanwhile in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are facing a very different kind of challenge-one rooted in discipline, execution, and identity.
After a disheartening 26-7 loss to the Bills, the Steelers were booed off the field by their home crowd. It was a humbling moment for a team that now sits at 6-6 and is trying to keep its playoff hopes alive. Head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t shy away from the criticism.
“In general, I agree with them,” Tomlin said of the fans’ reaction. “Entertaining them is winning. And so when you’re not winning, it’s not entertaining.”
It’s a blunt but honest take from a coach who’s never been one to sugarcoat the truth. The Steelers were penalized five times for 67 yards, including two costly 15-yard infractions-one on Cameron Heyward, another on Esezi Otomewo. Those kinds of mistakes are momentum killers, and Tomlin knows it.
“I own the responsibility of making sure that these guys understand a component of being a tough team to beat is not beating ourselves,” he said. “Penalties of the 15-yard variety, loss of composure and things of that nature hadn’t been us. And so that needs to be corrected immediately.”
The Steelers also made a notable roster move this week, parting ways with cornerback Darius Slay after he was inactive in Week 13. The move came after the team got a look at Asante Samuel, who impressed enough to earn a spot on the active roster. Slay was quickly claimed by the Bills, a team that had just handed Pittsburgh its latest loss.
On the injury front, linebacker Patrick Queen is believed to be dealing with a lower back bruise. He’s undergoing further evaluation, but there’s optimism that it won’t be a long-term issue.
Tomlin also confirmed that veteran tackle Andrus Peat will continue to start at left tackle, offering some stability on an offensive line that’s been searching for consistency.
Despite the back-to-back losses and the mounting frustration, Tomlin isn’t ready to hit the panic button. He remains confident in the team’s ability to turn things around. But if the Steelers want to stay in the playoff conversation, they’ll need to clean up the mental mistakes, keep their composure, and rediscover their identity-fast.
With four games left in the regular season, the margin for error is razor thin. The Steelers have the talent. Now it’s about execution, accountability, and finding that edge that’s defined Pittsburgh football for decades.