Wacky, crazy victory proves that the Broncos can win in any manner
Dec 3, 2024, 4:00 AM | Updated: 7:19 am
Do you focus on the positive or the negative? That’s the key question coming out of the Broncos crazy, topsy-turvy, throughly entertaining victory over the Browns on “Monday Night Football.”
Denver’s 41-32 victory had a little bit of everything. Both good and bad. And that makes the takeaway tough to decipher.
Let’s start with the concerns. And there were plenty.
Statistically, the Broncos were dominated on Monday night. They gave up 552 yards of offense, surrendered 28 first downs, gave up 32 points and let the Browns control the ball for more than 32 minutes of the game.
They let Jameis Winston throw for 497 yards and four touchdowns. They allowed Jerry Jeudy to return to Denver and have a record-setting performance, letting the receiver run wild for 235 yards and a touchdown. Their defense was a sieve for most of the night.
In addition, they let their bravado get the best of them. Leading 21-10 in the final minutes of the first half, Sean Payton was calling timeouts in an attempt to get the ball back. It wound up giving the Browns additional time, allowing them to make the score 21-17 at halftime. Up 31-25 with 12:40 to play in the fourth quarter, Denver went for kill shot, throwing an interception on the first play of the drive rather than milking the clock. And trailing 32-31 with 2:54 to play, Payton burned a timeout before deciding to kick a go-ahead field goal. All of these things could’ve come back to bite the Broncos on Monday.
But they didn’t. And that’s the upside. It’s one of many positives on the night.
Yes, Denver wasn’t good in many aspects. Their defense played their worst game of the season, with Levi Wallace having an epic meltdown on national television. Their offense had too many three-and-outs, Bo Nix threw two interceptions and they failed to control the game. And the coaching staff made many questionable decisions, including not putting Patrick Surtain II on Jeudy throughout the night.
But it didn’t matter. The Broncos still won. And that says a lot.
Nix made plays when he had to. Leading 21-17, the Broncos were backed up, facing a third-and-11 from their own seven yard line. The rookie quarterback delivered a dart to Marvin Mims that turned into a 93-yard touchdown. Trailing 32-31 in the fourth quarter, the QB led an 11-play, 61-yard drive that resulted in the go-ahead field goal.
Clutch. Clutch. Clutch.
Who cares about stats? What happened in the big moments? In those spots, Nix was sensational.
As was the Broncos defense. Yes, they gave up a boatload of yards. Yes, they made Winston look like an All-Pro at times. Yes, they allowed Jeudy to come in and chirp at the home fans with his big night. But when it mattered, Vance Joseph’s crew answered the bell.
Clinging to a 14-10 lead, the Broncos repelled the Browns with a 71-yard pick-six by Nik Bonitto in the second quarter. Holding a dicey 34-32 lead in the fourth quarter, Ja’Quan McMillian had a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown that effectively sealed the game. And to close things out, Cody Barton had a pick in the end zone to ice the game.
The Broncos defense was swiss cheese all night. But they made plays when they had to. They came up big and turned the tide of the game.
Clutch. Clutch. Clutch.
The same can be said for Payton. He didn’t have his best night in terms of decisions, but he ultimately wound up rolling the dice and hitting his number.
He threw the ball on third-and-long in the shadow his own goalposts, leading to a 93-yard touchdown. He ultimately kicked the go-ahead field goal down 32-31. He pushed the right buttons at the end of the day.
Clutch. Clutch. Clutch.
As a result, the Broncos are 8-5 heading into their bye week. They’re in control of their playoff destiny, in firm control of a wild-card spot in the AFC.
Was it pretty? No. Was it entertaining? Heck yes.
The Broncos put on a show on Monday night, both good and bad. And they got a win.
That’s all that matters. It was good. It was bad. It was a roller coaster. And that’s the whole idea.
Win ugly. Win pretty. Win boring. Win exciting.
Who cares? That’s what the Broncos seem to understand. And they proved it on Monday night, posting a wacky, memorable, bittersweet 41-32 win on “Monday Night Football.”
