The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to enjoy a win within the division on Sunday as the team was able to take down the Cincinnati Bengals at home by a score of 34-12. All four teams in the AFC North had games within the division as the Cleveland Browns hosted the Baltimore Ravens during the afternoon slate of games as well, which is a rarity for the AFC North to be playing at that time. The game between Cleveland and Baltimore was closer than most expected, and the game caught the eyes of many as Shedeur Sanders had to replace and injured Dillon Gabriel.
Matt Starkey / Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns' Shedeur Sanders scrambles to keep a play alive during a game against the Baltimore Ravens in 2025.
Cleveland wound up losing the game to Baltimore by a score of 23-16 after having a lead of 13-3 at one point in the contest. The Browns were relying on their defense heavily in this matchup, and the Ravens were finally able to take the lead near the end of the fourth quarter. Gabriel played quarterback for Cleveland during the first half, but he suffered a concussion near the end of the second quarter that held him out in the second half. Sanders came in, and it did not go well.
Many on social media began blaming the Browns for not preparing Sanders properly, citing that the backup was not getting any reps with the first-team offense during practice. Pittsburgh defender Cam Heyward spoke about the scenario on the most recent episode of Not Just Football, and he blamed the Browns as well.
"I find that baffling," Heyward said of the quarterback situation. "With every quarterback I've ever had, they have not taken every single rep in practice. The [QB]1 has not. That, like that is malpractice I feel like. I don't know how it's run there [in Cleveland], maybe that's just a different organization, but that was just very surprising to me. I always thought like 1's get the majority, but yeah your [QB]2 is going to step in and get some reps as well."
Cleveland Head Coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed during his press conference after the game that Sanders had not been taking any reps with the starting offense during practices, which makes the various complaints about not getting Sanders prepared seem a little warranted.
Kennedy Rodriguez / Cleveland Browns
Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel drops back to throw the football during a game against the Vikings in the 2025 NFL season.
Gabriel is a rookie as well and it is important that the Browns are seeing him develop, which could be a reason that Sanders is only taking snaps with the second-team offense. Cleveland wants their other rookie to be prepared to play, but the coaching staff had to feel a little off when Gabriel could not go back on the field and Sanders took control under center. It was a lapse in judgement not getting him ready to at least take a handful of snaps in the case that Gabriel had to exit a matchup.
Sanders played the entire second half and he completed just four of his 16 pass attempts. The rookie also threw an interception and fumbled after getting sacked.
Steelers Could See Shedeur Sanders Later In The Season
Gabriel is going to attempt to clear concussion protocol before Week 12, but if he cannot, then Sanders is going to be getting his first start in the NFL. If he plays well, maybe he can hang on to the starting quarterback job. Pittsburgh plays Cleveland for the second time in Week 17, and there is a chance the Steelers will be playing Sanders by that point.
AP Photo / Rusty Jones
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders celebrates after a touchdown pass against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of a preseason NFL football game on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C.
By then, the Browns will likely be officially eliminated from playoff contention, and there is a chance that the organization would turn to Sanders to see if there is anything there if he is not already named the starting quarterback.
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