Todd Monken has not yet named a starting quarterback for Sunday’s home game against the Houston Texans, leaving the Cleveland Browns’ most important offensive decision unresolved after their 23-22 overtime loss in New Orleans.
The Browns spent the week before that game preparing Shedeur Sanders to make his first start of the season, but Monken said on Monday he had not yet met with the full offensive coaching staff and was not ready to make a call for Week 11. Deshaun Watson had cleared concussion protocol on Saturday, although he did not play in New Orleans.
For a team that has spent much of the season searching for consistency before the fourth quarter, the timing matters. The Browns have won five games, and all five came on fourth-quarter drives engineered by Watson, which is why this decision carries more weight than a normal in-week adjustment. Monken also said the Browns are still in the mix and believes their best football is ahead of them.
Monken is still weighing the bigger picture
Monken’s public message was measured rather than dramatic, but it underlined how unsettled the position remains. He said, “you are what your tape says you are,” and that is a reminder the Browns are still being judged on what they have shown over time, not just on one week of preparation or one close loss.
He was also upbeat about the wider outlook. “We're right there in the mix, and I do believe our best football is in front of us,” Monken said, adding: “We have our next four at home and a bye week. It's all right there in front of us.”
That is the key context here. The Browns have played six of their first nine games on the road, they have been the league’s most penalized team, and their bye does not arrive until Week 11. In that setting, the decision at quarterback is not only about Sunday’s game against Houston, but also about how the offense can settle down over the next stretch.
What Monken saw from Shedeur Sanders
Although the result in New Orleans went against them, Monken was clear that there were reasons for encouragement in Sanders’ outing. He said he is “awfully proud of Shedeur,” and added that it had been 10 weeks since Sanders had really had reps with the starters in practice.
Monken said he had hoped Sanders would play because he had a great week of practice. After the game, his assessment was that Sanders “battled and showed composure in the pocket,” “made some plays with his feet,” and that “the operation for the most part was clean.”
That is not the same as a full endorsement, but it does suggest the Browns saw enough to keep the discussion open. Monken summed up the performance by saying, “There was a lot there to like. Certainly a lot to clean up … but a lot to build on.”
Why the Texans game matters now
The Browns’ immediate task is simple: settle the quarterback plan before Sunday. The outcome in New Orleans showed they can stay competitive, but it also left enough unanswered to keep the conversation alive.
Monken has not named a starter, Watson is available after clearing concussion protocol, and Sanders has now shown he can handle a difficult spot with poise. The next move will tell us plenty about where the Browns think their offense is headed, and who gives them the best chance to make the most of this home stretch.
