The Buffalo Bills couldn’t have been more confident heading into their Week 16 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. They had a lot to play for, as the AFC East title was still in play, and the Browns were just jockeying for draft position at this point.
While it looked like the Bills were going to wipe the floor with them, the Browns hung in there throughout, putting up a strong fight.
They had several chances to take the lead or tie the game, at the very least, but were ultimately unable to make it happen.
One of the biggest moments in this game happened with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, which analyst Aaron Goldhammer walked through.
“Shedeur had a real chance to put a drive together, and in turn, push the Browns back in the draft order. It ended on 4th and 32. Remember that sequence when they take the QB next April…”
Shedeur had a real chance to put a drive together, and in turn, push the Browns back in the draft order. It ended on 4th and 32. Remember that sequence when they take the QB next April…
— Aaron Goldhammer (@HammerNation19) December 21, 2025
What Goldhammer mentions here was an opportunity for Sanders to show this team (and the rest of the league) what he is capable of as an NFL quarterback in a high-pressure situation. Instead of rising to the occasion, Sanders completed an 11-yard pass to start the drive, followed by a sack where he lost eight yards, committed intentional grounding, and then was unable to connect on a deep ball with Jerry Jeudy.
The rookie QB has had some moments of brilliance that have given Browns fans hope for the future, and he’s had others that they’d rather forget. This was one of the forgettable moments, unfortunately, and a reminder that he still has some kinks to work through before the team can be supremely confident in him.
As Goldhammer pointed out, decisions and drives like this are things the front office could use as ammo when thinking about taking a quarterback in the 2026 draft.
NEXT: ESPN Analyst Has Major Doubt About Shedeur Sanders
