By TOM WITHERS Associated Press
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — A natural showman, one of the many gifts inherited from his famous father, Shedeur Sanders is already hyping his first NFL start.
It will happen on a 100-yard-long stage in America’s entertainment mecca.
“You cannot miss this moment,” Sanders said Wednesday. “It’ll be definitely exciting.”
He’s hoping it goes better than his debut.
Sanders, the flashy rookie quarterback with a beaming smile, unshakeable confidence and huge fan base, will start Sunday in glitzy Las Vegas — perhaps a fitting venue — against the Raiders as the Browns (2-8) turn to him while fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel recovers from a concussion.
With a slow climb up the depth chart, Sanders, who began training camp as the team’s fourth-stringer behind Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco and Gabriel, will become the 42nd quarterback to start for the Browns since the franchise’s expansion reboot in 1999.
“That’s crazy,” he said when told of a startling stat that underscores the team’s ineptitude. “I feel like I’m the guy. I know I’m the guy.”
Time will tell. So far, the reviews are mixed.
Last week, Sanders replaced an injured Gabriel for the second half of a 23-16 loss to Baltimore. It was a shaky outing as Sanders, who slid into the fifth round in April’s draft before being selected by the Browns, completed just 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards with an interception.
He also was sacked twice, fumbled once and held onto the ball too long — a problem since college. Other than giving Cleveland’s forlorn fans something to cheer, Sanders did little to convince anyone the Browns’ search for a franchise QB is over.
Sanders was hard on himself afterward, accepting blame while feeling he should have done more. But by Wednesday he had moved on and is more than ready to make amends.
“For sure I’m my own biggest critic,” he said. “So in certain situations in the game, even in that fourth down of that last game (an incompletion), I wish I would’ve just extended the play. So mind you, I don’t listen to critics. I don’t listen to what anybody has to say that’s not within the organization, not within the team, within the family or anything.
“Everybody have their own perspectives. But they not out there doing it or they’ve done it in their past life and their time has passed. I’m just thankful that I’m living in the present. Now I have the opportunity to go out there and do the best I can. Will there be mistakes? Of course.”
Unlike last week, Sanders should be better prepared. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Sanders will get all the first-team reps in practice. The Browns were criticized for not giving Sanders any time with the starters since being drafted.
Guard Wyatt Teller had never heard Sanders’ cadence before he took the field on Sunday.
“I’m truly excited for that, knowing that I have a piece of the offense and a say so and how things fit my eye and place the players exactly where they need to be,” Sanders said of the added work he’ll get. “Seeing how they come in and out of routes, seeing the structure of the O-linemen, seeing their set, just having a feeling.
“I’m more of a feel type of person, so that’s how I learn. That’s how I do everything. I’m not just, ‘Imma just watch it, it’s just going to happen.’ No, I got to be out there, feel it.”
Stefanski said Gabriel remains in the concussion protocol but is improving. The third-round pick from Oregon struggled while going 1-5 in his six starts.
When he’s medically cleared, Gabriel could return to the starting lineup. But that could also hinge on how Sanders does this week. If he plays well, it’s possible he’ll finish the season for a Browns team going nowhere.
Sanders said he had not yet spoken to his father, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, currently coaching at Colorado. He did speak with brother Shilo, but insists he’s put aside any family time this week to better lock in on the Raiders.
“Shilo called me, but I said, “Bro, right now if you want to talk, everybody just fly in, come see me, bro.’ I ain’t trying to be on my phone. If you want to talk, just pull up on me and then we can talk from there. Other than that, I don’t even check my phone.
“Too many people have been texting me, are you OK? Yes, I’m fine. I didn’t get robbed, my house did.”
While Sanders was playing his first regular-season game on Sunday, his home was burglarized. The Medina County Sheriff’s Office said three suspects wearing masks and gloves stole approximately $200,000 in property from the QB’s residence.
“Mentally, emotionally, I’m in a great place overall,” he said when asked about the break-in, adding no jewelry was taken. “My life is always going to be adversity. Things aren’t always going to go as planned, but I would say I’m prepared for everything.”
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