It is a disappointing Monday for the Cleveland Browns following a 23-22 overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints. They currently sit on the outside looking in of the playoff picture after a 5-2 start to the year. This game feels like the type of missed opportunity that could ultimately cost a team a postseason berth.
Despite collective frustration, the Browns actually weren’t graded too harshly in this week’s CBS Sports Week Nine report card. CBS Sports' Josh Breech had this to say about the Brown effort as he graded them with a solid C.
“The Browns didn't win, but Shedeur Sanders definitely made a case to be the starting QB in Cleveland. Despite facing constant pressure, Sanders still managed to throw for 297 yards and two touchdowns. He came
up clutch late in the game, with 197 yards of his passing total coming in the fourth quarter and overtime.”
Overall, I didn’t agree with this analysis. I wasn’t overly impressed with Sanders' performance, nor can I walk away from this game with a moral victory even if the young quarterback did play well.
If you wanted to highlight the play of the young pass catchers or the defense giving the team a chance to win again, then I agree that it’s worth taking note of. However, this was a harsh loss, and there is no way to sugarcoat that. Especially not with this logic.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: What grade did CBS Sports give the Browns for their Week 9 effort?
