CLEVELAND (AP) — Shedeur Sanders had a solid first half in his first home start for the Cleveland Browns. The rookie quarterback wasn’t able to build on that momentum after halftime.
Sanders completed 16 of 25 passes for 149 yards with a touchdown in the Browns’ 26-8 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Coach Kevin Stefanski said after the game that Sanders would start next week against Tennessee.
“It doesn’t feel good at all to be here in front of y’all and not on top. But it comes with it,” Sanders said.
Sanders was 8 of 11 for 96 yards in the first half, including a 34-yard touchdown pass to Harold Fannin Jr. that helped the Browns take an 8-7 lead late in the second quarter.
He was 8 of 14 for 53 yards in the second half. The Browns (3-9) gained 76 of their 253 yards after halftime.
Sanders didn’t commit any turnovers, but a fumbled snap by Fannin on a fourth-and-1 play and a muffed punt by Gage Larvadain led to short fields and 14 San Francisco points.
Besides learning how to deal with the windy conditions of playing at Cleveland’s stadium on the shores of Lake Erie, Sanders is still trying to get consistent timing with his receivers.
On the first series, he overshot Jerry Jeudy on a third-and-3 pass that would have put the Browns in San Francisco territory.
“As players and teammates, we need to jell,” Sanders said. “That takes time, that takes a lot of things. So, this team is not going to be a microwave thing — we’re going to have sparks here and there, but it’s going to take time to be able to develop that chemistry with everybody.”
Sanders said the touchdown to Fannin is a play that they have been practicing for at least three weeks.
After nine straight run plays, Cleveland had second-and-9 at the San Francisco 34. Sanders lofted a pass from the pocket that Fannin caught at the 9 near the left sideline after 49ers linebacker Luke Gifford lost coverage. Fannin then outmuscled Renardo Green and Ji’Ayir Brown to get into the end zone.
After San Francisco was called for too many players in the huddle, the Browns elected to attempt a 2-point conversion. They were successful when Quinshon Judkins ran it up the middle on a direct snap out of shotgun.
“I thought that was really well executed. Thought it was a good call by Tommy (Rees) in that situation,” Stefanski said. “Felt really strongly about that call, that play. We’ve kind of have been waiting to get to it for a couple weeks. Had the right time for it.”
One area where the Browns need to improve is converting on third and fourth down. They were a combined 5 of 15 on Sunday, including 0 of 4 on fourth down.
Two of the plays were particularly painful.
Judkins was stopped for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-1 at the 49ers 20 late in the first quarter.
Then in the third quarter, Fannin fumbled a snap on fourth-and-1, which was recovered by Gifford at the Browns 32. San Francisco converted that into points when Brock Purdy scored on a 2-yard run.
“There’s always the obvious risk when you go for it in those situations, but if you feel good about the plays you have and your players, you feel good about converting on those distances,” Stefanski said.
Sanders completed passes to seven players, including three apiece to Fannin, Judkins, Jeudy and Jerome Ford.
Jeudy, Cleveland’s top receiver, had only 26 yards as his struggles continued.
“Of course you want to be able to get him the ball, but you got to understand it takes time. I’m more of a trust person, and that’s just what it boils down to. So, we have to spend time on task with all those guys, and be able to trust and be able to see things at the same lens,” Sanders said of Jeudy.
Sanders is hoping another week of practice will get them closer to being on the same page.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer
