3 Keys to a Broncos Victory Over Browns on MNF

Here's how the Denver Broncos prevent falling prey to a 'trap game' vs. the Cleveland Browns.

Nov 17, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) throws against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Week 13 features the second of three primetime games this season for the 7-5 Denver Broncos, hosting the 3-8 Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football. Denver is coming off an impressive 29-19 divisional win against the Las Vegas Raiders, and is riding a two-game winning streak heading into December. 

Despite living at the bottom of the AFC North with just three wins, the Browns earned a hard-fought 24-19 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, and it should be noted that they also upset the Baltimore Ravens 29-24 earlier this season. The Broncos lost to both teams this season.

As the AFC playoff picture currently stands, the Broncos would be the designated seventh and final seed with just five games remaining in the regular season. Denver will get to its highly anticipated bye week following Monday night's tilt. The Broncos plan to debut their Midnight Navy jerseys and Summit White Helmets this week, adding to the primetime excitement in Denver.

In last season’s meeting between the Broncos and Browns, kicker Wil Lutz connected on three field goals in addition to tight end Adam Trautman catching a touchdown, while defensive lineman Zach Allen recorded a safety with a final score of 29-12 in Denver.

But this year’s Broncos-Browns tilt has the potential for a very different outcome as each team has a different starting quarterback since the last matchup, with a flurry of storylines between these AFC rivals. What will it take for the Broncos to win and sustain this momentum headed down the stretch?

Let’s review three keys to a Broncos victory against the Browns on MNF. 

PS2 Must Win Jeudy Matchup

When the Broncos drafted Jerry Jeudy with the No. 15 overall pick in 2020, the move was meant to foreshadow a new chapter for Denver’s receiver room. Instead, the 6-foot-1,165-pound Jeudy was largely a footnote amid the Broncos quarterback and head coach carousel, which resulted in multiple years of lackluster offense. 

Jeudy logged 54 starts with 211 receptions for 3,053 yards and 11 touchdowns in his four seasons in Denver. Despite being praised for his elite route running in college, the 25-year-old was responsible for 18 drops and never recorded a 1000-yard season, nor did he ever record more than six scores in a season.

Jeudy was traded from the Broncos to the Browns this past offseason in exchange for a fifth and sixth-round pick. He signed a three-year $58 million contract extension with Cleveland just six days after the trade.

The fifth-year veteran has been a bright spot on a bad Browns team with 45 receptions, 645 yards, and two touchdowns. Against the Steelers last week, he caught six passes for 85 yards proving to be an offensive weapon who earns first downs. But earning first downs and scoring touchdowns are two separate things.

Jeudy could draw the matchup of his former Alabama and Broncos teammate, Patrick Surtain II. PS2 has allowed fewer than 25 yards in seven of the 10 games he’s played this season, ranking first among cornerbacks in passer rating allowed, target rate, yards allowed, and yards after the catch. Surtain is credited with 27 tackles (19 solo), eight pass deflections, and three interceptions, including a pick-six.

Surtain and Jeudy should know each other better than anyone else after all those practices in Tuscaloosa and Denver, spelling an exciting primetime matchup on MNF. Call me a homer, but PS2 should find success early and often against Jeudy, who’s not even of the same caliber as the presumptive No. 1 cornerback in the league.

“My feelings? I just want to go back up there and whip their ass,"Jeudy said via Tony Grossi of The Land On Demand.

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Familiarity Must Breed Takeaways

Nov 21, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) throws the ball during the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field Stadium. / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Starting Browns quarterback Jameis Winston should thank Broncos head coach Sean Payton for his football rehabilitation during the two seasons they spent together with the New Orleans Saints. 

After being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 6-foot-4, 231-pound playmaker fizzed out after five seasons and a record of 28-42. Winston earned a reputation for turnovers having thrown 121 touchdowns to 88 interceptions in his spell with the Bucs, before parting ways with Tampa Bay.

Payton, then-head coach of the Saints, opted to sign Winston to a one-year prove-it contract. The savvy play-caller breathed new life into the frustrated, former Heisman-winning quarterback's career.

Serving largely in a backup role, Winston flourished when his number was called, boasting a 6-4 record with 20 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, proving Payton’s football rehab to be career-reviving. It helped earn him a similar contract in Cleveland.

Winston took over as the Browns' starter in Week 8 after Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear. Since then, Winston has led Cleveland to a 2-2 record, passing for 1,266 yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions. His positive energy and newfound gift of gab have gone viral online, rejuvenating his team. 

But you can expect the Broncos defense to have some tells with this turnover-prone quarterback on MNF. Winston’s gunslinging continues to get him in trouble, having been sacked 13 times this season with three fumbles. Previously known as a dual threat, the 30-year-old has slowed down and only averages 2.9 yards per carry with one rushing score this season.

Payton will likely spend some extra time in defensive meetings this week, spilling all of Winston’s tendencies and preferences to Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, whose defense ranks first in sacks and blitz percentage. 

Broncos Must Neutralize Garrett

Nov 26, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a video review in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Browns defensive end Myles Garrett earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Cleveland’s 24-19 upset win against the Steelers last week. The eighth-year pass rusher’s performance included three sacks, three tackles for a loss, five total tackles, and a forced fumble.

That brought Garrett’s total on the season to 10 sacks with 13 tackles for a loss and 18 QB hits while securing his seventh consecutive double-digit sack season.

Just as timing with a pass rusher is everything, the same holds true in facing back-to-back star pass rushers. Last week, the Broncos opted to utilize six offensive linemen, with Matt Peart supplementing protection against Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who failed to record a sack and landed just one QB hit. 

Denver’s jumbo offensive personnel included the utilization of tight ends and running backs, chipping the Pro Bowl pass rusher. It will likely be implemented again vs. Garrett to protect rookie quarterback Bo Nix from the surging pass rusher. 

Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles has allowed zero pressures in his last 25 pass-blocking snaps through Week 12. He will be tasked with blocking the Browns' 6-foot-4, 272-pound All-Pro and reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

It’ll take a group effort from the Broncos offense to avoid a game-wrecking evening from Browns superstar Myles Garrett, who continues to show up big in primetime games. Then again, it finally feels like Payton and Nix have brought back some much-needed Mile High Magic.

Broncos Country is hopeful for a special evening between two historic franchises with lots of water under their respective bridges.

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