The Cleveland Browns’ 13-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers couldn’t mask the red flags surrounding rookie QB Shedeur Sanders. It was a flaw so glaring that even his father, Deion Sanders, couldn’t ignore it; the commentators also voiced their disappointment over that one play.

“The second interception, that’s just, that’s like the kind of play; you’re just giving fuel to the people who want him gone,” Blake Renekar said on The Dawgs Podcast.

The play in question occurred in the fourth quarter, with the Browns leading 13-6. At 2nd and 5, Sanders dropped back 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage before releasing the football to avoid getting sacked for a loss. The ill-advised pass forced Jerry Jeudy into a tough spot, with Steelers linebacker Kyle Dugger in tight coverage.

Immediately after the play, the cameras turned to the stands and captured Deion Sanders’ reaction. ‘Coach Prime’ covered his face with his hat and hung his head. Meanwhile, Jim Nantz summed it up perfectly on the broadcast.

“Not a good one, not a good one at all.”

Dugger intercepted the pass at the Steelers’ 34-yard line, with 12:12 remaining on the clock. Fortunately for the Browns, the Steelers’ offense failed to capitalize, coming up empty on the subsequent four drives.

Sanders’ struggles weren’t limited to the fourth quarter. An earlier interception in the second quarter, which came on a deflection forced by pressure, brought his season total to an alarming 10 picks. He’s reached that number in far fewer games than other players with 10 picks like Dak Prescott, Joe Flacco, and Josh Allen.

Renekar’s point is underscored when comparing Sanders’ turnover rate to that of other top rookies, as shown in the table below.

The comparison to his rookie peers is stark. While a player like Ward has thrown just seven interceptions over 16 starts, Sanders has surpassed that with 10 picks in only six starts, raising serious questions about his ball security.

Entering Week 18, though, he has the backing of The Dawgs Podcast hosts.

“I’m not crucifying him and saying he can’t be the starter next year for it. But I just, I’d love to see next week and play a clean game,” said Renekar.

Week 18 offers Shedeur Sanders a chance at redemption

The defense bailed Sanders out late in the game, stopping the Steelers’ offense on three straight plays from the seven-yard line to preserve the win.

That unit will face a much stiffer test next week against a potent Bengals offense that has put up 30+ points in eight of their last 10 games. This means the Browns can’t afford to squander possessions with similar mistakes.

Sanders and the offense must make every drive count and eliminate turnovers. It is something the rookie QB acknowledged after the win over the Steelers.

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“I think it’s bittersweet because I feel like on offense, we’ve got to do our part. I’ve got to do my part a little bit more. We can’t be happy with 13 points on the board. So we’ve just got to be able to put up more points.”

While the Browns are locked into the bottom of the AFC North, Sunday’s finale is about more than just divisional pride; for Sanders, it’s a crucial final test to deliver his second interception-free game and end a turbulent rookie season on a high note.

If Sanders doesn’t, he can at least head into the off-season knowing that he was the Browns’ starting QB with the most wins this season.