Tag: MNF

Levi Wallace comments ‘worst game’ of his life against Browns

“This was the worst game I ever played in my life,” Broncos cornerback Levi Wallace said of his performance against the Browns.

With Riley Moss (knee) sidelined, the Denver Broncos turned to veteran cornerback Levi Wallace against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13.

Wallace struggled in a Monday Night Football spotlight as he was repeatedly targeted by Browns quarterback Jameis Winston. Wallace allowed seven receptions on 11 targets for 164 yards and a touchdown, according to advanced stats from Pro Football Reference.

Wallace was eventually benched in the fourth quarter in favor of rookie Kris Abrams-Draine and Denver held on to win 41-32. Following a bye week, Wallace commented on his poor showing against the Browns for the first time after Wednesday’s practice.

“Every time. Plays got made on me and I didn’t make plays. Simple as that,” Wallace said, via KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. “Can’t blame anyone else. … This is the NFL. You go through good, go through bad. This was the worst game I ever played in my life. I flush it.”

The Broncos are now set to host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday and Moss remains sidelined. It would not be surprising to see a different cornerback (perhaps Abrams-Draine) start over Wallace against Indy.

“Wherever the coach needs me,’’ Wallace told The Gazette‘s Chris Tomasson. “We all know the importance of this game. I know especially myself I didn’t put the best stuff on tape last week. But when you play this long you have some good games and you have some bad games. I take accountability for what I did last week and you move forward. It’s football. You have to find a way in playing in knowing that it’s a week-to-week league.”

Wallace, 29, has played in all 13 games this season, totaling 28 tackles and two pass breakups. We’ll see if he suits up on Sunday.

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MNF collab with ‘Simpsons’ provides tremendous introductions

Great start for MNF and “The Simpsons’

Monday Night Football and “The Simpsons” are working together.

And if the rest of the game is as good as the starters’ introduction, it will be spectacular.

Check these out:

Oh and we had a great Bengals touchdown:

Monday Night Football schedule: Is there a ‘ManningCast’ tonight?

The ManningCast returns tonight with Peyton and Eli calling the Bengals-Cowboys game on ESPN2.

Peyton and Eli Manning have returned for a fourth season of the ManningCast with the two former quarterbacks set to provide commentary for 11 weeks of Monday Night Football games this fall.

The brothers released a funny 10-minute musical to promote the upcoming ManningCast season in September. The 2024 slate will continue tonight with the Bengals-Cowboys game on ESPN2, which is available to stream on fuboTV.

Peyton and Eli will welcome new guests on the program each week there is a ManningCast, and Bill Belichick will be featured on every episode this fall.

In addition to 10 weeks of regular-season action, Peyton and Eli will also provide commentary for a Wild Card game in January.

Check out the full schedule below.

ManningCast 2024 Schedule

NFL Week Date Game TV
1 Sept. 9 Jets @ 49ers ESPN2, ESPN+
2 Sept. 16 Falcons @ Eagles ESPN2
5 Oct. 7 Saints @ Chiefs ESPN2
6 Oct. 14 Bills @ Jets ESPN2
7 Oct. 21 Ravens @ Bucs ESPN2, ESPN+
8 Oct. 28 Giants @ Steelers ESPN2, ESPN+
9 Nov. 4 Bucs @ Chiefs ESPN2
11 Nov. 18 Texans @ Cowboys ESPN2
12 Nov. 25 Ravens @ Chargers ESPN2
14 Dec. 9 Bengals @ Cowboys ESPN2, ESPN+
Wild Card Jan. 13 TBD ESPN2, ESPN+

The ManningCast is televised on ESPN2. The primary MNF broadcast will continue to feature Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters on ESPN.

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Denver Broncos schedule: Do the Broncos have a game today?

The Broncos are on a bye this week. They will return to action against the Colts on Dec. 15.

The Denver Broncos’ schedule takes a break today as the team has a Week 14 bye. The Broncos will return to action against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15 on Sunday, Dec. 15.

Denver will play eight home games at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium this year and nine games on the road. Because the league has an unbalanced 17-game schedule, the NFC and AFC rotate between having an extra home game. This year, the NFC gets a ninth home game.

The Broncos are led by head coach Sean Payton with rookie Bo Nix serving as their starting quarterback this fall.

View the team’s complete 2024 schedule below.

Denver Broncos 2024 Schedule

Week Date TV Opponent Time (MT) Broncos Tickets
1 9/8 CBS @ Seattle Seahawks 26-20 L
2 9/15 CBS  vs. Pittsburgh Steelers 13-6 L
3 9/22 FOX @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-7 W
4 9/29 CBS @ New York Jets 10-9 W
5 10/6 FOX vs. Las Vegas Raiders 34-18 W
6 10/13 CBS vs. Los Angeles Chargers 23-16 L
7 10/17 Amazon Prime Video @ New Orleans Saints 33-10 W
8 10/27 CBS vs. Carolina Panthers 28-14 W
9 11/3 CBS @ Baltimore Ravens 41-10 L
10 11/10 CBS @ Kansas City Chiefs 16-14 L
11 11/17 FOX vs. Atlanta Falcons 38-6 W
12 11/24 CBS @ Las Vegas Raiders 29-19 W
13 12/2 ESPN vs. Cleveland Browns 41-32 W
14 12/8 BYE
15 12/15 CBS vs. Indianapolis Colts 2:25 PM Tickets
16 12/19 Prime @ Los Angeles Chargers 6:15 PM Tickets
17 12/28 or 12/29 TBD @ Cincinnati Bengals TBD Tickets
18 1/4 or 1/5 TBD vs. Kansas City Chiefs TBD Tickets

The Broncos have not returned to the playoffs since their Super Bowl-winning season in 2015. Now entering his second season on the job, Payton will aim to snap the club’s eight-year playoff drought this fall.

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Shannon Sharpe was fired up after the Broncos beat Browns in primetime

“Y’all know what it is, we Broncos Country,” Shannon Sharpe said after Denver beat the Browns on ‘Monday Night Football.’

The Denver Broncos defeated the Cleveland Browns 41-32 in a thrilling Monday Night Football game to wrap up Week 13.

It’s fair to say Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe was fired up following the victory.

“Y’all know what it is, we Broncos Country,” Sharpe said on his Nightcap show co-hosted with Chad Johnson. “You go to the Mile High, 5,280 feet above sea level. You know when you come up in there, it ain’t an easy place to win.”

Sharpe did admit that Denver got a win “thanks to Jameis,” a reference to Jameis Winston throwing two interceptions, including two pick-sixes.

You can watch Sharpe’s complete game recap with Johnson below:

Sharpe played for the Broncos from 1990-1999, winning two Super Bowls in Denver. He then spent 2000-2001 with the Baltimore Ravens and won a third Super Bowl before returning to the Broncos to finish his career in Denver from 2002-2003.

An eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro, Sharpe’s 10,060 receiving yards rank fifth among all tight ends in NFL history.

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Rich Eisen says Broncos’ win was ‘beyond huge’ in Week 13

The Broncos’ win over the Browns on Monday was “beyond huge” for Denver’s playoff chances, Rich Eisen said this week.

Rich Eisen has emphasized the importance of the Denver Broncos’ 41-32 win over the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football in Week 13.

“The Denver Broncos are 8-5 through 13 weeks heading into their bye week, seventh overall in the American Football Conference,” Eisen said on his radio show earlier this week. “This game that they came up with [on Monday] was beyond huge. If they had lost it, they would have been 7-6 heading into their bye, after which the also bye-weeking Indianapolis Colts are coming to town.

“And a victory for [the Colts] in that game would have put them in the playoff spot that they are vying for. Because they would have had the same record as Denver and they would have had the tiebreak. And instead, Denver goes into its bye with three straight wins, 8-5, with some cushion when Anthony Richardson and the Colts and Jonathan Taylor come and visit them in Week 15.”

By beating the Browns, the Broncos are now on the doorstep of a playoff berth. If Denver beats Indianapolis, the Broncos will need just one more win and one Miami Dolphins loss to clinch a playoff spot this season. After taking care of business against Cleveland, attention now turns toward Indy. That will be a huge came for Denver coming out of the bye week.

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Karl Mecklenburg: Sean Payton’s experience paid off on ‘MNF’

Karl Mecklenburg’s advice to Broncos players during the bye: “Lay on a beach somewhere and stay out of trouble.”

The Cleveland Browns gave the Broncos a scare on Monday night. The Broncos defense was sorely missing their starting cornerback Riley Moss. Cleveland targeted his replacement repeatedly with success. Cleveland put up over 500 yards of offense, but Browns quarterback Jameis Winston threw three interceptions, two of which the Broncos returned for touchdowns. The Broncos secondary seemed confused at times, missed tackles became an issue, and former Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy had a huge game for the Browns. Despite the blown coverages, Broncos players came up big with pressure on the quarterback, and interceptions at key times, keeping the Broncos in the game.

Denver’s offense was able to keep up and win the shoot-out that the game turned into. This isn’t how the Broncos have won games this year. I’m sure Denver’s coaching staff was expecting our defense to hold down the Browns the way they have with most opponents. It was rewarding to watch the Broncos offense rise to the occasion and make big plays to match the Browns big plays. The game plan had to change quickly, and Denver’s offense handled the situation well.

Have you gone into a business situation or family situation and been surprised? How did you react? Were you able to switch gears and get right back in the game? Coach Payton’s experience paid off this week. The Broncos coaching staff made changes before the game got out of hand. The Broncos have their bye this week and players will be able to rest and heal. After training camp and 13 games with no off time, every player has various levels of injury. Instead of just jumping into preparation for the next game, the coaching staff will be able to do some self-scouting to make sure they aren’t becoming too predictable. Go Broncos! Lay on a beach somewhere and stay out of trouble.

Karl Mecklenburg originally shared this post on his social media pages and it was re-shared here with permission. Mecklenburg played for the Denver Broncos from 1983-1994, earning six Pro Bowl nods and five All-Pro selections during his decorated career in the NFL. Mecklenburg is now a motivational keynote speaker. You can book Mecklenburg on his website. 

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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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