The Cleveland Browns went from having a potentially easy matchup to having to face a team trying to win on Sunday. Ironically, that might be better for Shedeur Sanders.
With the Baltimore Ravens taking down the Green Bay Packers on the road on Saturday night, the Steelers will be obliged to win on Sunday. As such, they will throw everything at the Browns’ rookie quarterback.
That’s why Jonathan Peterlin and Lance Reisland believe this will be a major test for Sanders.
Talking on 92.3 The Fan, they argued that Sanders will now have an opportunity to showcase his skills against a defense that’s going to try to keep him on his toes.
"He's going to have to play well today. If you're trying to go win the football game, this is a great test."
🚨 @JPeterlin and @LanceReisland on how the #Steelers approach to this game helps #Browns and QB Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/8qKNaudEKd
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) December 28, 2025
Of course, that’s not necessarily what most rookie quarterbacks would’ve wanted. Then again, we’re talking about a young man who hasn’t played well enough. Sanders has two more games to prove that he can be this team’s guy, and doing so against a divisional rival that’s trying to win will be a massive step in the right direction.
The Browns aren’t going to make the playoffs, and they will have a chance to get their franchise quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft. With that in mind, there will be no better way to stop them from doing so than beating the Steelers and making sure they’re not in a position to pick in the top three.
It won’t be easy, and it might not be pretty. But if Sanders wants to be the Browns’ starting quarterback, he will have to prove his worth on Sunday.
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