Tag: MNF

Surprisingly, neither Jerry Jeudy nor Nik Bonitto won Player of the Week honors

Jerry Jeudy set an NFL record for the most receiving yards (235) against his former team and Nik Bonitto had a sack and 71-yard pick-six.

The Denver Broncos played a thrilling Monday Night Football game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13 with the Broncos hanging on to win, 41-32. Denver pass rusher Nik Bonitto and Cleveland wide receiver Jerry Jeudy stood out with a pair of big performances.

Jeudy hauled in nine receptions for 235 yards and a touchdown, setting a new NFL record for the most receiving yards by a player facing their former team. Jeudy now has the fifth-most receiving yards in the league this season (880).

Bonitto made a big impact on the other side of the ball, recording two pass breakups, one sack and a 71-yard pick-six. Surprisingly, neither Jeudy (offense) nor Bonitto (defense) won Player of the Week awards.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week after becoming the first QB in NFL history to record a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in a single game (although the “catch” was a technicality after he scored off a lateral).

Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after he grabbed two interceptions on Sunday, including a 61-yard pick-six.

Jeudy and Bonitto were among the NFL’s top performers in Week 13, but apparently not the very top.

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Broncos’ defense still ranks high even after mishaps vs. Browns

The Broncos allowed 552 yards to the Browns in Week 13, but Denver’s defense also had three takeaways.

Going into last week’s Monday Night Football showdown with the Cleveland Browns, the Denver Broncos‘ defense ranked third in total yards allowed (296.0) and second in points allowed (16.8) per game.

Then the unit allowed 552 yards and 32 points to Cleveland’s offense.

Denver’s defense has now dropped down to ninth in total yards allowed (315.7) and third in points allowed (18.0) per game. Still good numbers.

While the yards were allowed freely on Monday, the Broncos also grabbed three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. Those takeaways ended up being the difference in a 41-32 win.

“I saw three turnovers in key parts of the game,” quarterback Bo Nix said after the game. “Not only are turnovers hard to get, but to return it for touchdowns, that’s even harder. The fact that they did it twice, it was crazy. It was kind of nice. I was over there sitting. The bench has the heaters over there, and I don’t even have to move. So it’s pretty nice for the offense when they bail us out like that.

“It was a complete team win. We made our plays. [We] have a lot to grow from. And then they made their plays. They have a lot to grow from. It’s good to have a bye week this week, and then we’re going to come back and grow from it.”

Denver now ranks eighth with 18 takeaways this season and first with 47 sacks. Individually, pass rusher Nik Bonitto ranks second in the league with 11 sacks, only a half-sack behind Trey Hendrickson (11.5).

After the bye, the Broncos will face an Indianapolis Colts offense that ranks 23rd in total yards (311.5) and 22nd in points (20.5) per game. Indy quarterback Anthony Richardson has averaged one interception and just over one sack per game in the nine contests he has started this fall, so Denver’s defense will look to build on its takeaways and sack totals in Week 15.

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Broncos QB Bo Nix went viral after yelling at Browns to ‘jump offsides!’

Broncos QB Bo Nix went viral during MNF after he pulled a page out of Jameis Winston’s playbook and yelled at the defense to jump offsides!

During the Cleveland Browns’ 24-19 upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, quarterback Jameis Winston was caught mic’d up shouting, “Somebody jump offsides!”

One week later, Winston and the Browns faced the Denver Broncos and quarterback Bo Nix gave a good-natured nod to his counterpart.

Facing a 4th-and-2 while leading by three points late in the third quarter, Nix attempted to draw Cleveland’s defenders offside with a hard count. The Browns didn’t fall for it and Nix pulled a page out of Winston’s playbook.

“Jump offsides!” Nix said with a big smile before Denver conceded a delay of game penalty and kicked a field goal.

Fans appreciated the funny moment, and it’s gone viral on Twitter/X.

The Broncos went on to beat the Browns 41-32 and Nix spoke glowingly about Winston following the game. Up next for Denver is a bye in Week 14 followed by a home game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

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Bo Nix had another great quote after the Broncos beat the Browns

“We’re playing with a little bit of confidence and a chip on our shoulder,” Broncos QB Bo Nix said after the team’s win over the Browns.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix continues to say all the right things.

Following the team’s 41-32 win over the Cleveland Browns, Nix gave a great quote in his post-game press conference about what it meant for the team to overcome mistakes and win a crazy game on Monday Night Football.

“It’s huge,” Nix said. “We’re a confident bunch right now. We’re playing aggressively. We’re playing together. We’re playing with a little bit of confidence and a chip on our shoulder. [We are] just trying to continue to prove not only to other people but to ourselves that we have a really good football team. We’re starting to play like it. Playing with that confidence is important.

“It’s good to see us win in games like this. It doesn’t matter how it happens. We just make the next play. Continue to do it, and don’t get down. When we go down by a point, we have to go find a way to score, and we did. Then our defense, ‘We have to find a way to stop them,’ and they did. Just a complete team effort. It was good to see.”

Nix had two interceptions on Monday, but he never stopped fighting. The defense allowed 552 total yards, but they grabbed three interceptions — including two pick-sixes — to seal the victory. It was an ugly win, but a win’s a win, and Nix knows it. The quarterback and his teammates will now enjoy a bye before hosting the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

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Jason Kelce crashed a Broncos tailgate in a Tom Nalen jersey

Jason Kelce crashed a Broncos tailgate on Monday rocking a Tom Nalen jersey.

Before the Denver Broncos hosted the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football in Week 13, former NFL center and current ESPN analyst Jason Kelce crashed a tailgate wearing a Broncos jersey.

Kelce’s decision to rock orange and blue was a surprising one given that (a) he’s from Cleveland and (b) his brother, tight end Travis Kelce, plays for the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs.

Kelce explained his wardrobe on his Twitter/X page on Monday evening.

“Every tailgate I go into Monday Night Football, I wear a jersey honoring a former great of the home team. … Tonight I wore Tom Nalen’s jersey as one of the legendary centers of the game and a guy I looked up to and watched when learning the position as an undersized center.”

“I like honoring great players of this league while venturing into the tailgates of teams fans, but I told everyone in the tailgate I was rooting for the Browns, and when we were making our picks for who was going to win the game, I said ‘I can’t bring myself to pick against my hometown team’ and picked the Browns solely because of that.”

So there you have it. Despite rooting for the Browns, Kelce was still well-received by Broncos fans.

Nalen played for the Broncos from 1994-2008, anchoring an offensive line that won two Super Bowls. Kelce played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2011-2023 and won a Super Bowl following the 2017 season.

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What did Bo Nix tell Jameis Winston after Broncos beat Browns?

Bo Nix had a respectful message for Jameis Winston after the Broncos beat the Browns on ‘Monday Night Football’ in Week 13.

The Denver Broncos hung on to defeat the Cleveland Browns 41-32 in a wild Monday Night Football game in Week 13.

Browns quarterback Jameis Winston had a huge game with 497 passing yards and four touchdowns, but he also threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

After the game, Winston and Broncos quarterback Bo Nix exchanged words at midfield. Nix then went straight to an interview with ESPN’s Lisa Salters and he was asked what he told Winston after the game.

“Well, we’re from the same town back in Alabama and it’s just fun to watch him play,” Nix said. “Obviously he has a lot of experience. I’ve been watching him for a long time and just got a lot of respect for what he’s done and what he’s been through and been able to do in this league. Obviously he had a really good performance tonight. So just all respect.”

A classy message from Nix, who has quickly emerged as a key leader for the Broncos as a rookie. Denver has got a good one.

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Broncos fans mock Jerry Jeudy, who posted strange Instagram caption after loss

Broncos fans mocked Jerry Jeudy’s braggadocios post about his big performance that came in a loss.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy had a big game against his old team on Monday Night Football, hauling in nine receptions for 235 yards and a touchdown against the Denver Broncos.

Jeudy’s numbers were impressive, but they came in a losing effort as the Broncos held on to beat the Browns 41-32 in primetime.

“It’s hard when you lose, you don’t feel good about anything,” Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said after the game. “Guys are playing hard; they’re making some plays. We just didn’t make enough at the end. You’ve got to get Denver credit.”

Jeudy took to Instagram on Tuesday with an interesting caption: “They doubted the comeback, so I made it unforgettable 💯.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDIBYV4xj_G/?hl=en&img_index=1

“Curious thing to post after a team defeat. But one can’t spell ‘unforgettable’ without an ‘L,'” Andrew Mason of DenverSports.com wrote on Twitter/X.

Even before his curious Instagram post, Jeudy was roasted by Broncos fans on social media for leaving Denver without a win.

While Broncos fans gave Jeudy anything but a warm welcome, the receiver did receive love from his former teammates.

“I’m so happy for him,” receiver Courtland Sutton said. “I wish it wasn’t today because he kept them in the game. He shined really bright, when the lights were the brightest. He did his part to help his team be successful, and it just came a little bit short. Seeing him have the success that he had today was heartwarming.”

Jeudy met up with former teammates outside the locker room after the game.

Even Jeudy himself admitted that his big performance was overshadowed by a loss.

“High emotions,” Jeudy said on Monday night. “Like I said before, you always want to beat the team that you used to play for, but we came up short. We have to find a way to finish, find a way to win.”

So, who gets the last laugh? Perhaps both sides will have some degree of vindication — Jeudy posted big numbers and the Broncos got another win. It seems they are both happy.

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Peyton Manning attended the Broncos game instead of doing a ‘ManningCast’

There was no ‘ManningCast’ in Week 13 because Peyton Manning attended the Broncos game in person with his son, Marshall.

There was no ManningCast for the thrilling Monday Night Football clash between the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High last night.

It seems that Peyton Manning preferred to attend the game in person.

Peyton, who spent the final four years of his career with the Broncos, still lives in the Denver area and he attends many of the team’s home games. He was on the sideline with his son, Marshall, ahead of Monday’s game.

Marshall was rocking a throwback Pat Surtain jersey. Isaiah J. Downing of Imagn Images captured this photo of Peyton and his son before the game:

Although it would have been entertaining for viewers to watch Peyton’s reactions to all of Monday’s shenanigans, Peyton certainly picked a fun game to attend in person while taking a break from the ManningCast schedule.

Peyton and Eli Manning will return next week with a ManningCast for the Dallas Cowboys-Cincinnati Bengals game in Week 14.

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Why didn’t the Broncos have Pat Surtain follow Jerry Jeudy on MNF?

Jerry Jeudy had 235 yards Monday, but only 20 of them came against Pat Surtain. The Broncos should have had PS2 follow Jeudy on every play.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy returned to Empower Field at Mile High on Monday and he had a huge game against the Denver Broncos, his former team.

Jeudy hauled in nine catches for 235 yards and a touchdown, although his massive performance came in a losing effort.

Surprisingly, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph opted to not have Pat Surtain follow Jeudy on every play. Instead, with Riley Moss (knee) sidelined, Levi Wallace ended up covering Jeudy more often than expected.

After the game, Denver coach Sean Payton was asked why Surtain did not follow Jeudy on every play.

“We were going to match Pat and then the simple slot moving him to the other side,” Payton said. “We have to be able to handle that. It is too easy offensively for us to do that. I’m sure we will look at the tape. We always ask it of the players. When we come back, the same as the coaches, how would we play that game if we played it again? I think that is coaching. It is us always making sure we put our guys in the best position.”

Not exactly a clear answer. Surtain finally appeared to be following Jeudy on every snap late in the game, but a lot of damage had already been done.

Jeudy ran 57 routes against the Broncos on Monday and Surtain followed him on 34 of those plays. With Surtain in coverage, Jeudy was limited to two receptions for 20 yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. In the 23 other plays, Jeudy totaled seven receptions for 215 yards and a touchdown.

“He definitely had himself a game,” Surtain said after a 41-32 win. “You really can’t say much about it. You just have to watch the film and correct it.”

ESPN captured Surtain and Jeudy meeting up after the game and it appeared that PS2 essentially told the receiver he wanted to follow him but it wasn’t the game plan.

“It’s always fun going against Pat,” Jeudy said after the game. “He’s a great corner in this league, I’ve been going against him [dang] near my whole life. He’s always going to give you a challenge. It was fun.”

It’s not exactly clear why the Broncos did not have Surtain trail Jeudy, but it was clearly a mistake. Regardless of where PS2 lines up, Denver will undoubtedly hope that Moss can return after the bye week.

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Broncos PFF grades: Best, worst players from 41-32 win vs. Browns

Nik Bonitto (92.3) had a huge game and Levi Wallace (32.0) had a night to forget. View more Broncos PFF grades here.

Following the Denver Broncos‘ 41-32 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football, Pro Football Focus has released grades for each player’s Week 13 performance.

PFF grades players on a 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scale. Check out the best and worst of Week 13 below.

Best Offensive Players 

  • TE/FB Nate Adkins: 89.2
  • G Quinn Meinerz: 82.2
  • QB Bo Nix: 76.5
  • WR Marvin Mims: 76.0
  • WR Courtland Sutton: 74.2

Sutton remains Mr. Reliable for Nix, and that 93-yard touchdown catch from Mims was huge. It’s been a long time since Denver had an offense this fun to watch.

Best Defensive Players 

  • OLB Nik Bonitto: 92.3
  • CB Ja’Quan McMillian: 91.6
  • CB Damarri Mathis: 77.6
  • DL John Franklin-Myers: 76.5
  • OLB Jonathon Cooper: 76.3

Bonitto continues to make his case for Defensive Player of the Year while McMillian stars in the slot. Mathis might deserve more snaps going forward, too.

Worst Offensive Players 

  • RB Javonte Williams: 45.2
  • TE Adam Trautman: 50.3
  • OL Matt Peart: 55.1
  • OT Garett Bolles: 55.6
  • OL Luke Wattenberg: 57.9

PFF must grade penalties very harshly because Bolles held up mostly well against Myles Garrett, who finished the day without any sacks. Williams has posted a dud in back-to-back games.

Worst Defensive Players 

  • CB Levi Wallace: 32.0
  • DB Brandon Jones: 35.8
  • CB Kris Abrams-Draine: 37.6
  • DL Malcolm Roach: 47.5
  • DB P.J. Locke: 53.4

A night to forget for the secondary, particularly Wallace. Abrams-Draine was dinged by PFF for a penalty, but he appeared to be an upgrade over Wallace. The Broncos will hope Riley Moss (knee) is able to return after the bye.

Special Teams 

  • ST Jonah Elliss: 73.6
  • LS Mitchell Fraboni: 65.3
  • R Marvin Mims: 60.6
  • K Wil Lutz: 66.3 (FG) 52.0 (KO)
  • P Riley Dixon: 69.9

You can view grades for every player on the paid version of PFF’s website.

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