The Cleveland Browns head coach, Kevin Stefanski, has decided to start quarterback Shedeur Sanders against the Las Vegas Raiders. This comes after their starting quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, left the game against the Baltimore Ravens early with a concussion. With a new quarterback under center, Stefanski will now need to make massive adjustments to the game plan if he wants to give the Browns the best chance to win.

In a recent interview, Mary Kay Cabot explained that Sanders is unfamiliar with Gabriel’s game plan, so the Browns may have to simplify the game plan specifically for him. She also added that the rookie QB will need to trust offensive coordinator Tommy Rees for the plan. Their goal should be to make the QB feel confident in throwing the ball.

“I don’t think he’s going to have as much on his plate as Dillon Gabriel did because he was behind him,” she said on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast. “…So, I think they’re going to have to simplify it for him a little bit. They might even have to simplify some of the terminology, and they’ve got to get him playing fast and confidently because he’s got to get that ball out. You can’t keep retreating. You can’t keep getting sacked. You’re not going to be able to function.”

Mary Kay agreed when asked if Sanders could be effective with a game plan designed around his strengths. She further added that it will be important for the Browns to adjust the game plan based on the tackle situation to keep him protected.

“I absolutely think that if they have an opportunity to find some outlet passes for him and some ways that he can get rid of the ball really quickly, I think that’s going to be important,” she said.

So, it will be important for the Browns to give plays and teammates to the QB that he feels confident working with. However, she further added that the offense will look different from Gabriel’s “rollouts and the bootlegs” since Sanders has a different style.

“He’s (Sanders) gonna have to be able to drop back there, survey the land, go through his progressions as quickly as he possibly can, and try to make some plays,” she added.

However, it will seemingly depend on how the Browns approach their game plan for Sanders. Coach Stefanski has assured fans that they will work closely with Sanders ahead of their Week 12 matchup.

Since Sanders hasn’t received many practice reps, there’s understandable confusion about whether he can perform effectively against the Raiders. On the other hand, the Raiders’ defense has been vulnerable to big plays this season, frequently missing tackles in the open field.

One such moment came when two Raiders defenders failed to stop Pickens on his 37-yard catch in the Cowboys game. So, while the Browns and Sanders will have their chance, it will depend on whether they can take advantage of it after their disappointing 23-16 loss to the Ravens.

Shedeur Sanders was disappointed after his NFL debut

Things spiraled fast for Sanders both on and off the field. Gabriel started the game strong, completing 7 of 10 passes for 68 yards before leaving for concussion protocol. When Sanders stepped in for the second half, the crowd erupted. Fans had been waiting for a long time for coach Stefanski to finally let the rookie make his debut.

But things didn’t go the way Sanders hoped. He finished just 4-of-16 for 47 yards, threw an interception, and was sacked twice. In the final minutes, the Browns reached the Ravens’ 25-yard line, but Sanders threw three straight incompletions. They failed to convert on fourth down, and Baltimore sealed the win.

“I don’t think I played good,” Sanders said after the game.

To make matters worse, he later learned that his Cleveland home had been broken into while he was playing.

Now, with Week 12 approaching, the pressure on the rookie is higher than ever.