Tag: MNF

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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Broncos-Browns was not a Scorigami, but the game did make history

41-32 was not a Scorigami (it happened one other time in NFL history), but the Broncos-Browns game was still historic.

The Denver Broncos defeated the Cleveland Browns 41-32 on Monday Night Football in Week 13. That’s not a typical scoreline, but it surprisingly was not a Scorigami (a first-ever final score).

Monday marked the second time in NFL history that a game ended 41-32. The last time featured the Miami Dolphins defeating the Boston Patriots way back in 1967.

“Holy cow,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the wild game. “Some games go in a direction you think they are going to go. Obviously that one went in a much different direction. We did enough and made enough plays in the end to win.”

Though the final score was not a Scorigami, Denver did make some history on Monday night. NFL teams were 5-41 in the last decade when allowing at least 550 yards. The Broncos allowed 552 yards to the Browns and improved that record to 6-41.

Denver quarterback Bo Nix also made history with a 93-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Mims, the longest completion by a rookie in franchise history.

“It was a different game,” Payton said. “We have to learn from it. It is good to get the win, which is important because we are at that time of the season into December here where all these things matter. We were able to do that. We are going to rest up during the bye and get ready for an Indianapolis team.”

The Broncos have a bye in Week 14 before hosting the Colts in Week 15.

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5 takeaways from Broncos’ crazy 41-32 win over Browns

Pat Surtain should have followed Jerry Jeudy the whole game. More takeaways from the Broncos win over the Browns:

The Denver Broncos defeated the Cleveland Browns 41-32 in a crazy Monday Night Football game in Week 13. Here are five quick takeaways following the victory.

1. Jaleel McLaughlin remains the hot hand: Javonte Williams scored a touchdown on Monday, but he ended the day with just four carries for one yard. He now has 12 carries for -1 yard over the last two weeks. McLaughlin, meanwhile, led the team with 14 carries for 84 yards against Cleveland. Denver’s backfield rotation is hard to predict on a week-to-week basis, but McLaughlin is trending up going into the bye.

2. Pat Surtain should have followed Jerry Jeudy: Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph opted to not have PS2 follow Jeudy on Monday, which was a curious decision. With Riley Moss (knee) unavailable, Levi Wallace was repeatedly torched by the Browns. Jeudy finished the day with nine receptions for 235 yards with one touchdown, but on the 34 plays that Jeudy covered him, the receiver totaled just two receptions for 20 yards. PS2 finally started following Jeudy late in the game and it appeared that Joseph also benched Wallace in favor of rookie Kris Abrams-Draine late in the contest. Both decisions should have been made sooner.

3. Courtland Sutton remains Mr. Reliable: Sutton ended the day with six receptions for 102 yards and he now has 42 receptions for 569 yards and three touchdowns over the last six weeks. He remains Denver’s best receiver and a reliable target for rookie quarterback Bo Nix.

4. That was a classic Jameis Winston game: Winston torched the Broncos’ secondary for 497 passing yards and four touchdowns … and three interceptions. It was a quintessential Winston experience. That might sound like a Browns Wire takeaway, but it’s notable for Denver, too, because future opponents might not gift interceptions at that rate. The Broncos easily could have lost Monday’s game if not for a pair of pick-sixes. Fans in Denver will hope that Moss recovers during the bye and is able to return in Week 15.

5. Nik Bonitto is a strong DPOY candidate: Bonitto is the first Broncos defender since Von Miller to record double-digit sacks and a pick-six in the same season. That’s pretty good company.

Bonitto’s 11 sacks this season rank second in the NFL, only trailing Trey Hendrickson (11.5). He’s making a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year.

The Broncos will now go into their bye week with an 8-5 record. After the bye, Denver will host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

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The All-22 angle of Bo Nix’s throw to Marvin Mims is amazing

What an amazing throw by Bo Nix and a great catch and run by Marvin Mims!

In the third quarter of Monday’s 41-32 win over the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix connected with wide receiver Marvin Mims on a 93-yard strike to take a 28-17 lead.

The All-22 end zone angle of the throw reveals a perfectly-placed ball from Nix over a linebacker and away from the defensive back where only Mims has a chance to catch it.

We could watch this all day:

Take a look from the other end of the field:

“We hit that turkey hole” coach Sean Payton said of the play after the game. “Sometimes that ball might go outside. It was a heck of a throw and catch and a huge play.”

Mims had 0.4 yards of separation when the ball arrived and he reached a top speed of 20.68 mph on the play, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

“It was kind of a read-the-field route for me. They ended up being in a cover-2, and I had the middle open and they kind of just shot it. [QB] Bo [Nix] ended up trusting me and putting the ball in a perfect place, literally. It ended up being a big play for us.”

The ball traveled 44.3 yards in the air yards, according to NGS. Nix broke down the play after the big win.

“We knew it was third-and-long,” Nix said. “We were trying to be aggressive and go for the first down. We just kind of had three verticals getting to three spots down the field. [They played] 2-Tampa invert. Their corners were going back. As soon as I saw the ‘Mike’ kind of carry, they only do that in Tampa-2, so I knew it was a two-on-one to the field. Marvin with his speed, just had to get it out there. He did a great job splitting the field. Their guy couldn’t get to it. Just kind of heard the crowd go crazy, and it was one of those awesome plays that you don’t get often, but they’re pretty fun.”

The 93-yard completion was the fourth-longest in franchise history and the third-longest score by any NFL team this season.

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