Todd Monken Declines to Name Browns Starting QB Ahead of Texans Game

Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken has declined to name a starting quarterback for Sunday’s upcoming home game against the Houston Texans. The decision follows an overtime loss in New Orleans where a late-game offensive spark led by Shedeur Sanders nearly rescued a sluggish afternoon.

The Cleveland Browns are facing a critical turning point after losing an overtime heartbreaker Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. That 23-22 defeat dropped the team to 5-4 on the season and left coach Todd Monken wrestling with his immediate offensive plans.

Monken Delays Starting Decision

Speaking to Cleveland reporters on Monday afternoon, Monken stated that he had not yet met with his full offensive coaching staff as part of their standard post-game routine. Because of that delay, he was not ready to name who will lead the offense onto the field for Sunday’s matchup against the Houston Texans at home.

Todd Monken Addresses the Browns Starting Quarterback Against the Texans – Sports4CLE, 11/9/26

Deshaun Watson started the season’s first eight games under center. While Watson cleared concussion protocol on Saturday, he did not play in New Orleans due to the team preparing Sanders for his first start of the year.

The offense under Watson has frequently struggled to find rhythm before the final quarter. All five of Cleveland’s wins this season have relied on late-game comebacks engineered by Watson, masking prolonged offensive stagnation and heavy penalty yardage. In New Orleans, the Browns accumulated more penalty yards in the first quarter (25) than total offensive yards (19).

Thoughts on Todd Monken Not Naming a Starting QB for the Texans Game – Sports4CLE, 11/9/26

Sanders Sparks Late-Game Offense

Sanders injected life into the struggling unit during the fourth quarter and overtime, throwing for 197 of his 297 total passing yards in the game’s final phase. His downfield aggression created explosive plays, including a 60-yard completion to rookie Denzel Boston in the first half and a 64-yard touchdown pass to rookie KC Concepcion that briefly gave the Browns a 13-9 lead.

Despite taking five sacks from a fierce Saints pass rush—including a brilliant escape and throw under pressure to Jerry Jeudy to set up a game-tying field goal in the final 30 seconds of regulation—Sanders earned high praise from his coach.

I’m awfully proud of Shedeur, Monken said. It had been 10 weeks since he really had reps with the (starters in practice). I was hopeful he would play because he had a great week of practice. I thought he battled and showed composure in the pocket. He made some plays with his feet. The operation for the most part was clean.

Monken added that there was certainly a lot to clean up … but a lot to build on regarding Sanders’ performance.

Browns Remain Competitive in AFC Playoff Picture

Despite losing two straight games, the 5-4 Browns remain competitive in the AFC playoff picture. They sit just 1.5 games behind Pittsburgh and Cincinnati in the AFC North and trail current wild-card positioning by a single game. Six of their first nine games were played on the road, leaving a favorable home-heavy stretch ahead.

Is Todd Monken considering a change at QB for the Browns? Hey, Mary Kay!

We’re right there in the mix, and I do believe our best football is in front of us, Monken said. We have our next four at home and a bye week. It’s all right there in front of us.

Long-term considerations also linger over the quarterback room. Watson is playing in the final year of the $230 million contract the Browns awarded him following a March 2022 trade, whereas Sanders remains under his standard rookie deal through 2028. For now, the coaching staff has until Wednesday’s full practice to weigh continuity against the dynamic spark Sanders provided in New Orleans.