The Denver Broncos are 9-2 and riding high entering the bye week. The fan base, as a result, gets to kick back and relax a little bit. We are, after all, sitting in a field of victory. It's time to enjoy some well-earned comforts for a week before the games start back up in Week 13.
During the bye week, the Cleveland Browns -- of all teams -- just gave everyone in Broncos Country a little something to root for. The Browns are going to start Shedeur Sanders at quarterback this weekend, finally giving him a chance after rolling with Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel the majority of the season.
To be fair, Sanders is only getting this shot because Dillon Gabriel is in concussion protocol, but the reason to root for him isn't merely the fact that he's starting; Sanders is going to get his first NFL start against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Broncos fans can root for Shedeur Sanders to beat the Raiders during the bye week
Ahead of his first NFL start, Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders also will get his first practice reps with m Cleveland’s first-team offense. https://t.co/LoAn8S7sf6 pic.twitter.com/pTjxDcKPJ9
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 19, 2025
This will officially be the starting debut for Sanders, who saw some action this past weekend in relief of the injured Gabriel, and the results were not good.
It's interesting that the media is putting out there very strongly the narrative that Sanders will finally be getting practice reps with the starting offense this week, almost peddling the idea that he's been given a raw deal to this point.
And to be fair, Sanders being blacklisted during the 2025 NFL Draft was a petty move by the NFL. He was considered a 1st-2nd-round prospect almost unanimously, and even those who had him as a 2nd-round prospect were considered hot take artists.
The way he's been approached by the NFL has to be at least a little bit humbling for him, and we'll get a chance to see him operating the Kevin Stefanski operation with a full week of practice with the 1s. That will be fun to watch in itself, but the fact that he's going up against the Las Vegas Raiders?
That adds to the juiciness for Broncos Country.
Many in Broncos Country are already huge fans of Shedeur Sanders because he played for Colorado. Regardless of your college fandom, you can root for the quarterback trying to beat the Raiders on a week to week basis.
The Raiders just got blown out on Monday Night Football by the Dallas Cowboys. They're already 2-8 and playing host to the Browns this weekend. Imagine if Sanders goes into Vegas for his first NFL start and beats the Raiders.
Even though neither team is good, it would be a fun way for Broncos fans to enjoy the bye week blues.