NFL.com's Power Rankings Still Like Broncos Despite Struggling vs. Browns

The Denver Broncos defense struggled with the Cleveland Browns in a 41-32 win, but came up big when it mattered most.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. showed tantalizing big-play ability we haven't seen since early last year. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos' 41-32 victory over the Cleveland Browns was an instant classic and undoubtedly the most exciting game at Empower Field for quite some time. The offense had trouble finding its groove, either being too scared to push the ball or overly aggressive and taking unnecessary deep shots.

The Denver defense will have a lot to diagnose in the film room after allowing former Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy to have a career day, posting nine catches for 235 yards and a score.

Nonetheless, both the Broncos’ offense and defense made plays in the clutch to secure a victory in prime time and uphold their ranking of No. 10 in the NFL.com Power Rankings.

Here’s what Eric Edholm had to say about his ranking of the Broncos and the performance of rookie quarterback Bo Nix and the defense. 

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

“There were some big plays, but Bo Nix didn't have a great game Monday night while Jameis Winston was carving up Denver's very good defense," wrote Shook on NFL.com. "Nix's 93-yard TD dart to Marvin Mims Jr. helped atone for some of his earlier mistakes, but he got greedy on the deep-shot pick later.

"Nix looked better when he played more within the confines of Sean Payton's system. I don't mind him coloring outside the lines, because he can, but this Broncos offense hums along smoother when Nix takes the easy gains more consistently.

"Thankfully, the Denver defense made the biggest plays of the game in the biggest spots. My man Nik Bonitto had his first career pick and pick-six on the same play, later adding a big sack and several key pressures. He's been on a roll lately.

"The finishing move was Ja'Quan McMillian's pick-six, although Cody Barton added another interception to completely slam the door shut. The coverage busts are concerning, but the Broncos have a few dudes on defense.”

Nix didn’t have his best game but led a few key drives that ultimately gave the Broncos the win. His deep ball needs to be more consistent. While his throw to Marvin Mims was outstanding, he also threw a pick on a forced shot down the field and another ill-advised throw across his body that thankfully led to an incompletion.

BO NIX WITH AN ABSOLUTE DIME TO MARVIN MIMS JR. FOR A 93-YARD TOUCHDOWN 😤 pic.twitter.com/DDtQPMFD80

— ESPN (@espn) December 3, 2024

Nix has good arm strength but needs to recognize when to take shots and not try to play Superman on every snap.

Part of the problem was play calling. Calling a deep shot up six points when the ground game is finally working isn’t a good move, mainly when it results in a turnover. There's plenty of blame, and Payton was quick to accept his share for calling the deep ball that resulted in a Nix interception.

Luckily for Denver, they are on bye this week and have loads of time to work through their mishaps and towards the playoffs. For a team that wasn’t supposed to win more than five games, the Broncos look stronger than most pundits could have imagined.

---

Follow Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!

---