The Opening Drive 8/9: There's Nothing Quite Like NFL Quarterback Hope
Shedeur Sanders made us all feel something last night.
Little insider information coming your way. Over the years, I have grown to hate night games. I have to stay up insanely late to get the proper coverage up for you guys and then I’ll worry about whether enough was done to get you guys the information needed. Sleep does not go well. Last night was no different but only because in the last 365 days we haven’t seen the Browns win enough and I am determined to show you everything.
I wanted to pull an all-night session and just have it all ready, but I then remember I have two kids and have to play the role of Dad on a weekend. Life catches up with me quickly. But, nonetheless, I tried to give you everything about last night’s 30-10 win over the Panthers to kick off the 2025 preseason.
This morning, the urge hit to talk a little at length about the idea of “quarterback hope” and how Shedeur Sanders played last night. But before that, here is a list of the Browns Film Breakdown content from last night in particular, but also everything relevant of late.
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I have said this before, especially around those early Baker Mayfield years, but there is nothing quite like “quarterback hope.” I define it as those early years when you are witnessing the flashes of talent and you let yourself believe “this guy could be anything!” As far as ranking pure NFL enjoyment, I would rank it near the top of the experience, and it’s just not something Browns fans have had often enough in the last 30 years.
We had the best of it with Mayfield following his promising rookie season. He set that NFL touchdown passes record and made some of the better tight window throws you will see a rookie make, but it faded in the following years. The end of that Mayfield era brought an onslaught of journeymen and a version of Deshaun Watson that was more anger inducing than any hope provided.
Last night was a small taste of that life again. Shedeur Sanders was far from perfect, as he only completed 13 of his 24 attempts but what he did flash was enough of the traits that get you excited. Those third-and-long downfield strikes that make you sit up in your seat a little bit. Those play-extending traits that lead to downfield opportunities. He had several moments last night that made me squint at the broadcast view and begin to wonder if something more is there.
I’ll extensively break down the performance in the coming 48 hours and have all of it cued up for you guys, but in the meantime I want you to just enjoy it too. Sanders might never lead to anything truly promising, but last night there were enough of those flashes to at least make you think about it. What if the entire NFL really did miss on this guy? Did the Browns have a quality plan all along?
I don’t have the answer to this one right now and none of us do, really. There’s a long line of rookie quarterbacks flashing traits only to throw it to the other team too often in games that really matter. They fold under pressure and the NFL game just eats them alive.
We don’t know if that will happen to Sanders, and honestly, none of it matters on the 9th of August in his rookie year after showing some promise in his debut. There’s some real hope here, and hope is a welcome thing around the Browns quarterback room when you consider how tough it has been to consume over the last three seasons.
There will be plenty of film-related coverage coming your way and I look forward to providing it. If you’re not with us in a subscriber capacity you’ll want to rectify that asap. We have some game tape to break down, folks, and that is the good stuff. Don’t miss it. Catch you guys soon. I appreciate you.
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Don't ever trade the great for the perfect. We love the content or we wouldn't be here.
Being the best Dad you can be will always say more about you than what you do for life.
Keep up the excellent work, Jake.
I like how you mix up the technical with the emotional.