Colorado’s first game of Year 2 in the Deion Sanders era Thursday night was closer than many of us — including Vegas — thought. Yet Shedeur Sanders put on a magnificent show all evening in the 31-26 victory, a performance not simply just enough for the Buffaloes to narrowly avoid defeat but one littered with NFL-caliber throws.
There were so many, that his effortless 445-yard outing is worthy of an immediate evaluation.
Let’s start with the post throw under pressure in the first half. Now, the North Dakota State coach mentioned later, during a between-quarters interview, it was a blown coverage. And it probably was.
But for Sanders to start this drop back by looking left, checking an intermediate route, then uncorking the long ball over the top while his pocket caved in front of him was spectacular and a keen demonstration of the speed at which he calmly processes and his experience as a passer.
Quite impressive, in the first half of the opening game of the season from Sanders. That very much looked like a play bound to end in a sack or an awkwardly released football that fell incomplete or was intercepted. It ultimately was none of those things.
Then there was a perfectly “feathered” over route to one of his speedy receivers that required ideal timing, accuracy, trajectory, and velocity, to have enough height to clear the sinking, underneath linebacker but arrive to its destination before the deep safety could deliver a well-timed huge hit to jar the ball loose.
Sure, Sanders stayed locked into his first read on that throw, but not every high-level play from inside the pocket a quarterback makes has to come after he’s drifted through his entire list of progressions.
I love here, how, instead of rushing this longer sideline throw and attempting to throw a strike with bad footwork, Sanders stepped up and to his left before releasing the football with plenty…
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