Sean Payton’s Broncos Survive Wild Shootout Against Browns
DENVER — Sometimes, football games defy all logic, and Monday night at Empower Field at Mile High was one of those times. The Denver Broncos pulled off a thrilling 41-32 victory over the Cleveland Browns, but not without a rollercoaster of emotions, jaw-dropping stats, and a few heart-stopping moments. Even Sean Payton, a coach with a resume as decorated as his, could only shake his head and let out a quick sigh as he stepped to the podium postgame.
“Holy cow,” Payton said, summing up what every Broncos fan was likely thinking after the chaotic affair.
Despite giving up a staggering 497 yards passing and four touchdowns to Browns quarterback Jameis Winston, and an eye-popping 235 yards receiving to former Broncos first-round pick Jerry Jeudy, Denver’s defense managed to deliver when it mattered most. The Broncos snagged three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, and improved to 8-5 on the season. That record keeps them clinging to the No. 7 spot in the AFC playoff race.
“Some games go in a direction you think they’re going to go, obviously that game went in a much different direction,” Payton admitted. “We made enough plays to win. … We got that next win and that was most important. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but we were able to finish.”
Offense, Defense, and Chaos
For Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix, the game was a test of resilience. “Really it’s just going on to that next drive, not worrying about the score, not worrying about what happened before,” Nix said. “We just had to put everything together as best as possible and found a way to win a game … a game like you literally have got to score more points, no matter how it happens.”
And score they did. The Broncos held leads of 21-10 and 28-17 in the second half, only to see the Browns storm back. Cleveland took a 32-31 lead with 8:57 left in the game on Winston’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Nick Chubb, his fourth scoring toss of the night. At that point, it felt like the game was slipping away from Denver.
But the Broncos responded with a clutch 61-yard drive in 11 plays, including two critical third-down conversions. That set up a 27-yard field goal by Wil Lutz, giving Denver a 34-32 lead. The defense then stepped up in a big way. Cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Winston on the Browns’ next possession and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown, effectively sealing the game. Earlier in the contest, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto had returned an interception 71 yards for a score.
Key Takeaways from the Game
- Jerry Jeudy’s Big Night: Jeudy’s 235 receiving yards were the most the Broncos have ever allowed to a single player in franchise history.
- Winston’s Passing Clinic: Winston’s 497 passing yards were the second-most ever by an opposing quarterback against Denver, trailing only Tony Romo’s 506 yards in 2013.
- Defensive Redemption: Despite the gaudy numbers allowed, Denver’s defense came up with three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.
Safety P.J. Locke described the emotional swings on the sideline. “Stuff got ugly on the sideline a little bit … we just had to get everybody together,” Locke said. “We said, ‘we’re being tested, there’s going to be games like this, we’re being tested right now,’ but we pulled it out, we just pulled it out. It was crazy … we had the ultimate faith … JMac came up with a great play.”
Payton echoed those sentiments. “Big play, game was full of them, but that was significant,” he said. “Just a different game, we’ve got to learn from it. We’re at that time here in December when all of these things matter, we have to learn from it.”
Looking Ahead
The win not only keeps the Broncos in the playoff hunt but also improves their AFC record to 4-4, a potentially crucial tiebreaker as the postseason race heats up. Denver now heads into their bye week before hosting the Indianapolis Colts (6-7) on Dec. 15. This marks the first time since 2016 that the Broncos have been at least three games over .500 this late in the season. That year was also the start of their current playoff drought, which they hope to end this season.
“Obviously, when we go back and look at that tape defensively there’s going to be a lot of things we would have done differently,” Payton said. “And yet we had two interceptions for a touchdown, another interception. I told them in the locker room it wasn’t pretty but in the end we did what we had to do especially late … I’m proud the way we fought and we got that next win.”
The Broncos haven’t been to the playoffs since their Super Bowl 50 victory to cap the 2015 season. If they can keep finding ways to win games like this, that drought might finally come to an end.
Originally Written by: Jeff Legwold
