Browns pleased with QB Shedeur Sanders' spot start in a 1-point loss to the Saints

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Shedeur Sanders couldn't quite finish what would have been a dramatic overtime victory for the Cleveland Browns.

Still, he took solace in how his play improved during the course of his first start this season.

“To even be able to get in that position was amazing,” Sanders said following a 23-22 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. “I was truly thankful to get to that point. The moment never felt big, so that’s how I know I’m growing as a quarterback in this league.

"The next time we get in that situation, I will have a better plan on what to do.”

A potential victory was in Sanders' hands when he took the snap for a 2-point conversion attempt in overtime. Forced to scramble by edge rusher Carl Granderson, his pass intended for Denzel Boston fell incomplete near the right sideline. A completion would've been nullified anyway because offensive tackle Tytus Howard was flagged for holding, but the Browns also would have gotten another play.

Replacing Deshaun Watson, who was in the NFL's concussion protocol for part of the past week, Sanders got hot down the stretch after three mostly ugly quarters for both teams.

He hit KC Conception on a deep pass that turned into a 64-yard touchdown, giving the Browns a 13-9 lead with less than six minutes left in regulation. After the Saints regained the lead, Sanders found Jerry Jeudy for 30 yards on a third-down scramble, setting up Andre Szmyt’s 51-yard, tying field goal with eight seconds left.

Cleveland trailed again when New Orleans reached the end zone on the first series of overtime.

Sanders responded by going 6 of 8 on the game's final drive. He hit Boston on a crossing pattern to convert at third down before tight end Harold Fannin rumbled 39 yards to the end zone, breaking two tackles along the way.

Sanders ended up throwing for 297 yards — his second-highest total in eight NFL starts — and two touchdowns without a turnover. All but 38 of those yards came after halftime, including a 60-yarder when Boston outjumped cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry for a deep ball down the sideline.

“For a guy that really hasn’t taken snaps with (starters) in 10 weeks, I’m really proud of him,” first-year Cleveland coach Todd Monken said. “He had a great week of practice, and he gave us a chance at the end. He came through when we needed it with some big plays.”

Sanders started the Browns’ final seven games last year as a rookie fifth-round draft pick, going 3-4 with more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (seven). He then lost a preseason battle with Watson under Monken, throwing only three passes in relief over the first eight games.

He attributed his slow start against the Saints to rust. The Brown punted three times and settled for a 42-yard field goal on their first four series. The next time they had the ball, he stumbled on a lineman’s foot before handing off on failed fourth-and-goal run from the 1.

“DeShaun did a great job this whole year leading the team,” Sanders said. “I had to step in and get the rhythm and the feeling and everything back.”

His biggest mistake may have come earlier in the week. When asked what he'd seen while studying the Saints’ defense, he said, “Yeah, I’ve seen a lot. When I smile, just know that means something.”

Some Saints took offense.

"It’s disrespectful for someone to laugh at our defense, you know, take us as a joke,” said New Orleans edge rusher Granderson, who had two of the Saints’ five sacks. “So we went out there and balled out. ... We did our thing.”

Sanders insisted his comment was misinterpreted.

“I was never, ever throwing a shot,” he said. “I apologize if my words were taken out of context. ... I was never speaking negatively on anybody.”

He chose not to get involved in another controversy when asked if he had earned the right to start again.

“That’s a set-up question,” he said. “I control what I control. What I think in the grand scheme of things doesn’t really matter. I want to be a great teammate.”

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) is sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96) in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) carries against the New Orleans Saints in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) passes in the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) is hit by New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young, right, just after releasing the ball in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) speaks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — As the Carolina Panthers began lining up for a second-and-goal at the Denver 1-yard line late in the third quarter, Sean Payton heard a voice screaming in his headset: “Challenge it!”

It was Broncos director of game management and assistant quarterbacks coach Evan Rothstein, whose tasks on game day include taking a fast look at replays and immediately relaying his opinions to Payton for consideration.

With Carolina's Bryce Young about to take a snap from center, Payton didn't hesitate to ask questions. He yanked the red challenge flag from his back right pocket and tossed it onto the playing field, placing full trust in Rothstein at the risk of losing a timeout.

The Panthers snapped the ball anyway, with Young handing off to Chuba Hubbard, who was stuffed for no gain.

Then came the whistles — and several moments of confusion.

Officials gathered, and after speaking with the NFL officiating office in New York, determined that Payton had thrown the challenge flag before Young took the snap, nullifying the second down play.

“That was a hard one for any one of us to see, and my concern was, “Was anyone able to see that I threw it before the play was snapped?'” Payton said. “And fortunately, New York can. That’s obviously a big play, and sometimes, it’s a slower feedback, depending on the game you’re playing. (If) you’re playing on Sunday night or on Monday (on national television with more cameras), that information might come quicker."

After reviewing the play, officials overturned what was initially ruled an incompletion on first down into a momentum-turning interception for the Broncos, who would go on to win 26-21.

“Replay can get involved to make sure that the head coach throws his challenge flag prior to the next snap,” NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth said afterward in a pool report. “We were actually able to use angles to show that the flag was out prior to the ball being snapped, and so we permitted the challenge.”

CBS, which broadcast the game, did not show any replays of when Payton dropped the flag in relation to the ball being snapped.

“They confirmed that he did throw the challenge flag before we snapped the ball on that very next play,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. "I’ve got to go on their word.”

The play in question added to the unusual scenario.

Young's pass to the left corner of the end zone twice hit Tommy Tremble in the hands, the second time while the tight end was flat on his back. But replays showed the ball never actually hit the ground. Broncos safety Devon Key alertly bent over and snatched the ball before it hit the turf.

Key said he knew he caught the ball and his first instinct was the return it out of the end zone, but officials blew the play dead.

Carolina fans who watched the replay on the scoreboard booed because they thought Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad made contact with Tremble before he attempted to make the catch, but pass interference was not called.

“I had two officials that had a great look at the play,” referee Alan Eck said in a pool report. “They felt the defender arrived at the same time as the pass. We refer to that as a bang-bang play. They felt the timing was fine. The official ruling on the field was an incomplete pass.”

Tremble said after the game he thought officials blew the whistles to determine if there was pass interference.

NFL replay rules, however, don't allow officials to enforce penalties that were not initially called on the field.

The overturned call was a major turning point in the game.

The Broncos, trailing 14-13 at the time, scored on their next two possessions to take command of the game. Carolina's late comeback attempt ended when Nik Bonitto sacked Bryce Young to help seal Denver's fifth straight win.

Afterward, Payton awarded both Rothstein and Key game balls.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Denver Broncos safety Devon Key intercepts of the end zone intended for Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Denver Broncos safety Devon Key intercepts of the end zone intended for Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Denver Broncos safety Devon Key intercepts of the end zone intended for Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Denver Broncos safety Devon Key intercepts of the end zone intended for Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble catches a touchdown pass against the Denver Broncos during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)