Stephen A. Smith Passionately Defends Shedeur Sanders Following Week 2 Criticism

The Colorado Buffaloes had a poor showing in their Week 2 matchup against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Buffaloes fell behind 28-0 at halftime and ultimately lost the game 28-10.

Star quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been receiving a lot of criticism for his performance in the game. He completed 23-of-38 passes for 244 yards, with one touchdown and one interception that resulted in a touchdown for the opposing team. Sanders was also sacked six times during the game.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith defended Sanders' performance, citing the offensive line's lack of support and Colorado's defense's failure to make stops.

"You are holding on to the ball because you are trying to make something happen," Smith said. "Part of the reason you are doing that, Shannon, is because you know your defense can't stop a cold. That's why. You get physical with Colorado, you beat them up, that's what you do. On the offensive side of the ball, they still can't protect him."

Smith emphasized that head coach Deion Sanders should prioritize fixing the offensive line to protect Sanders. He also noted that Colorado needs to develop a stronger running game to alleviate some pressure on him. Smith observed that Nebraska was physically dominating the Colorado offense, leaving the Buffaloes unable to respond.

Smith pointed out that Sanders completed all 13 passes when not facing a blitz. However, the issue was that he was blitzed 56% of the time because Colorado's defense couldn't effectively defend against it. Smith suggested that Sanders needed to release the ball faster, but he also understood why Sanders had held onto it for too long. Smith felt it was because Sanders attempted to create opportunities and compensate for his team's weaknesses.

Colorado must improve to secure its first bowl game in which the Buffaloes played a full season since 2016.

Related: Shannon Sharpe Gives Brutally Honest Opinion About the Colorado Buffaloes