Chris Canty thinks Shedeur could carve up the 49ers' defense 😬 + Joe Burrow's back! | First Take

The next opponent they have will be the Browns. Yesterday, the Browns named Shadur Sanders the starter for their afternoon tilt on Sunday against the Niners. Sanders will make his second consecutive start. And Kevin Stefanski said the first thing was to win, which Sanders did, obviously, against the Raiders.

Next thing now is improvement, which will be one game better. In his first start, Sanders went 11 for 20, 209 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception, leading the Browns to a big win, obviously over the Raiders. Shador became the first Browns quarterback to win his first career start since Eric, is it Zier? Am I saying it right? Zier in 1995. It had been a minute. Okay, that's all we're gonna say. But what do we expect to see now from Shador

Sanders on Sunday against the Niners? Just pointed out how solid can really coach defense. So a bigger challenge. We would assume than what we saw in the Raiders. CC. What do you think? Well,

here's the thing. I think Shador Sanders had some good things to build on in his first start being able to push the ball down the field. The off schedule throws to Isaiah Bond and Jerry Judy. Those are things to be lauded for the other thing that we got to point out only one sack in that game against the range. That's big Max Crosby, that Raiders defensive front. They can get after quarterbacks. The fact

that he's not constantly retreating out of the back end of the pocket and putting himself up against it against NFL caliber pass rushes. That is a positive. Now, of course, it's going to be uneven. Yeah, he got fooled with the zone pressure. Charles Snowden ended up getting a pick where to go to school, Virginia. He's going to throw that out there. But but he was a plug. I think that the 49ers have their work cut out for him because this is a guy that has shown the

ability to do some some special things in the downfield passing game. And this is not a 49ers front that gets after the quarterback, right? Right dead last in sacks in the NFL. That's right. So if you give a quarterback, albeit going into his second NFL start, the kind of time that they've given quarterbacks in the past, this Cleveland Browns passing game led by Shadur Sanders could carve you up. So I'm not going to take it as a fait accompli that the San Francisco 49ers go into Cleveland

and vote race the Browns.

Okay.

What do you think, Stephen A?

I think balling out is a bit too extreme. I don't think we saw enough from Shador Sanders to say that he's ready to do that against the 49ers team, which is obviously much, much better than the Las Vegas Raiders. But what if he's just better than what we saw last weekend? I think we'll be satisfied with that. I think that would be an upgrade. I think that would be something that can build confidence in him.

And he got the ball out of his hands quicker than usual. He wasn't holding onto the ball as long as he's customarily known to do. And obviously in Bond and others, he's shown that he's got some weapons, some speeds is out there that he can dip and dunk to, and they can potentially make some things happen. He missed Jerry Judy on a couple of occasions. I saw Judy over, he didn't get him the ball. But outside of that, I'm looking at him, and I'm saying, you know what, against this 49ers team, that's again, is good, but in the same breath, don't have their two elite guys.

If he goes out there and balls and look better than he did against the Vegas Raiders, against the Las Vegas Raiders. I think that'd be a huge plus. I don't expect him to play lights out, throw for three or 400 yards or anything like that. But if he's in a 200 plus yard range

and he's throwing the ball efficiently and not turning the ball over, you know, I think that's a plus. And I think that's something to build on.

Yeah, listen, I fully agree. I would see you. I think when you have these conversations about expectations on quarterback, keep them realistic, right? Like think about think about Lamar Jackson just coming back and the way he's played these three games being banged up, right? He hasn't been like a world beater, but he's finding ways to win, right? The most important part of QB play is not giving the game away. I thought that what Shador did, they haven't done

all season. In one game, Shador had the long, the three largest completions in the Cleveland Browns and all their games of the season. He had a 66, a 52 and a 39 yard completion in one game. So he pushed the ball down it. Now, one's a quick screen out. I get everybody's like, oh, it's a screen. Well, guess what Stafford those screens to

quarterback and that's what your job is, is to get it to the playmakers allow them to go make plays. But the part that you said CC that I loved is the sacks. And I think what I would say is a negative in college at Colorado. He was under duress. I mean, let's be honest, like there was some days where them boys

were just coming through the gates and he was running for his life and making it. The moment for me didn't seem bigger than Shador Sanders in that way. And that's the most important thing. It's he's not going to go throw for 350 and four touchdowns.

Like, but the expectation shouldn't be that it's growth, right? It's Caleb Williams was the first pick of the draft last year and played every game. This is the dude second start. Relax. Just look for small areas of growth protecting the football

getting in your playmakers hands. Try to stay on time, right? Let that defense do what they can do so well and hopefully they keep you in the game and you make it a game. But man, listen, did he absolutely light it up? No. But man, it was his first start in the NFL and he did plenty to, listen, earn the right to start the next week.

That's the most important thing Shador Sanders did is he earned the right to start again. He played better than Gabriel has, He gave the Browns a win. All of those things should be massive checks in the pros I just respect the way they went

Quickly you have a comment.

I think it's important to also note that Shadur Sanders has put on tape the ability to be able to push the ball down the field. Yeah. That's going to impact everybody on that Cleveland Browns offense that running game with Quinn Sean, Jenkins and Dylan Sampson,

and offensive line, they'll have a chance to get a little more room to operate because defenses now have to play the Browns offense a little more honest. Amen. It came to what Dylan Gabriel did over a six game sample size. He's throwing a ball 5.1 yards per attempt.

Shadur Sanders in this game against the Vegas Raiders 10.4 yards per attempt should do or Sanders in this game against the Vegas Raiders 10.4 yards or attempt. Yeah, he's doubling.

Yeah, the yards per attempt in the passing game. So people understand what that does to DBS and the whole concept of

well, and it's simplest terms. The team is going to keep two safeties back deep as opposed to one safety back. These right, right. So you're going to have lighter boxes to run the football against and with with that hard-nosed running game, then all of a sudden, you can feel some excitement about the direction that this Cleveland Browns offense is going to go in.

Yeah.

The one thing that we also have to bring up, the last thing that we also have to bring up is this. It really means nothing from a standpoint of, OK, this is this season. This is what this is. But since 1995, 17 different quarterbacks started for the Cleveland Browns.

None of them won. Jador Sanders is the first to have done it. Why does that matter? Because somehow, some way, along the way, and we've talked about this with various quarterbacks throughout NBA history, that it factor,

somebody else may have it when others don't. And when you look at the Cleveland Browns and their history of futility, particularly at the quarterback position, even with Kevin Stefanski, who arrived in 2020 and was now on his 13th different quarterback, you do want someone to come along and you're able to say, yo, that's the one.

And that's what everybody is looking to find out about Shadow Sanders.

Definitely. And to your point, Jeff, too, like when you talk about the rookies, Cam Ward not played great. JJ McCarthy.

Cam Ward has looked better the month of November.

Sure, but I mean, this is his second start. It might take a minute. So we'll see what happens, obviously, against the Niners this Sunday. Let's stay in the AFC North because yesterday, Zach Taylor announced that Joe Burrow is likely to start for on Thursday for the Bengals on their Thanksgiving Day match up against the Ravens. Now, Burrow has been out nine games with a turf toe injury with Burrow as the starter. The Bengals won their first two games.

They've won only one game since so Burrow posted this on his I G yesterday with the caption. He's back. The, the Jersey. Jersey's an interesting choice.

Panty,

hand the Bengals with Burrow under center. Go on a little bit of a run here and get some things done.

Absolutely. Joe Burrows won six straight games in his career before. I absolutely think it's on the board for him to be able to do it again. And here's the deal. They lost the game on Sunday to the New England Patriots, but didn't lose ground in the division. Right. Division leader was three games up in the win column. And guess what? Sitting here today.

Yeah, the division leader is three games up in the win column. The only difference is, is the Baltimore Ravens and not the Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh, by the way, the Bengals play the Ravens not once, but twice starting on Turkey Day this week. Yeah. So I absolutely think it's plausible for Cincinnati to be able to get this done. When you look at Baltimore's remaining

schedule for them to be able to go 500 would be a blessing. Every team. They play not named Cincinnati is over 500. That includes dates with the Patriots and the Green Bay Packers. When you look at the Pittsburgh Steelers, they're on quarterback number two with Mason Rudolph. Yeah, and I'm not conceding the division to them. So yeah, the Cincinnati Bengals absolutely have an opportunity

to get into the playoffs by winning the AFC North.

Whoo.

Well, you talk about a tall order now that and I love Burrow and I think he is my concern is and I would be disingenuous. If I said a guy missing this much time walking back on the field and everything just clicked right and we don't really know about T Higgins. I'm not sure if he's already been

declared out or if he has a possibility of playing but like when you look at this, I know Chase will be back. So they had they have a plethora of riches on the outside and even even at

time, they can make plays. My question is protection and and Joe Burrow protecting himself and understanding what that is. And the Ravens defense has gotten better. They're playing a little bit better. Now, the offense hasn't put any pressure on and that bodes well, right? Because it's since he's defense that everybody's

concerned about. So if they give them a chance and to your point of beating the Ravens, now you're really in the conversation. I just got to see it to believe it. Like I love Joe Burrow. I just think when guys miss this much time, there's a lot of rust to work off, especially, man, your toe, and, like, pushing off and getting chased, and all of those things

that come into, like, a real game situation. It's not practice. I just got to see it.

Confirmed, T. Higgins will not play.

The answer...

On Thanksgiving. He is out. Yes. The answer to this question is no way in hell. It ain't run no damn table. All right, let's stop this nonsense. First of all, let's go to the injuries that you just alluded to, Jeff Saddy. Let's look at this here, okay. So you got the wrist injury in 2023.

In 2020, the left knee injury where you tore the ACL and other ligaments. We gotta, let's not forget about that. We also gotta remember the the emergency appendectomy that impacted the beginning of the 2022 season, strain calf that affected the start of the 2023 season, and then now we got this stuff. I mean, my Lord.

I mean, you know, is the Bengals a football franchise or an infirmary? What the hell is going on? Okay, let's get that out the way. That's number one. And number two, we're really going to have this conversation. You're one and six against Lamar Jackson lifetime. One in six.

We haven't forgotten that, okay? So let's not forget that, okay? And that's who you're playing against, even though Lamar Jackson has not looked great. You're one in six lifetime against him. We got to pay attention to that. Plus, Baltimore is now in the thick of things, and they've steered this ship in the right

direction, okay? That's number two. Even though we're talking about a Joe Bordas 18-5 lifetime in the month of December and January, including the postseason, the bottom line is that this is November. And I want to look at something here. I don't know about the rest of y'all, but last time I checked, total defense dead last, scoring defense dead last, third down defense second worst, and then next to last in the National Football League, red zone defense, fourth worst.

They are awful. I mean, they're so bad defensively. You've got defensive players hiding in public in local areas, not wanting anybody to know that they play defense for the Cincinnati Biggles. You know what I'm saying? That's how bad it is, okay?

It's horrible, okay? So, we're talking about, we're looking at this schedule and they got two games against the Ravens. One at Buffalo. Okay, and we're acting like they can run the table. I expect them to lose two of these three games. I expect them to lose two of the next three games. Well,

Steven and that will be that defense actually scored against the New England Patriots on a big six. So the defense wasn't the issue on Sunday. It was the offense

not being able to muster. I mean, come on, man.

Sisterly put together.

The Marches was out and Joe Flacco still 41. You come on man. Come on, man.

Your point was about the defense.

That was horrible.

Yeah, they weren't horrible on Sunday against the New England Patriots who right now are in line to have the number one seed in the conference So we're starting to say this thing about the Cincinnati Bengals not being capable of being able to turn a corner and I'm just gonna put it out there if Joe Burrow can come back and And resemble the guy that we saw at the end of last season, which is a tall ass

Yeah

I don't think we can dismiss the Cincinnati Bengals being able to make a run at this thing. Now their playoff starts now. No doubt. They lose this game on Thanksgiving night. It's over. You might as well shut Joe Burrow down because your season is over. I hate to bring it up.

But remember we were talking about two games for Jamar chase for the spitting. It was only one game and now look at massive T Higgins is out. Yeah Joe Burrow is back. And you're talking about maybe they could go on a playoff run. I'm just saying if they had got to you and he was saying

that I got to get used to.

I'm not using this side of your

you're a Burrow.

The Bengals.

I'm really proud.

Jeff is a lot of growth.

I got it. Let's get that out the way, CeCe. You're the last person that needs to grow. All right? Let's get that out the way. That's okay. Let's be very, very clear with your monstrous self, okay? No, you don't need to grow, all right? But let me tell y'all this. Two of the next three games they're gonna lose, they'll probably score over 35 at each of them,

and they'll still lose. games that the Bengals lose last year scoring 33 or more? I think they scored they they lost like eight or nine games last year scoring 33 or more. It's what they do. We know they're gonna score. We know what Joe Burrow on the field they're gonna put points up. It's the defense. Who they gonna stop? Let's stop this nonsense. They're losing two in the next week. The Baltimore Ravens, they scored 30 in a month. That's what he's talking about. They're going to put up 30. Come on man. But to Stephen A's point.

Against Cincinnati?

Yes.

Come on man. Yes. The girl has lost to the straight against the Ravens. So that's not great news.

But we will see what happens. But we will see what happens.

It will be fun.