Jerry Jeudy had a pretty good homecoming game in Denver. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst of the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
DENVER, CO
Instant takeaways from Browns 41-32 loss to Denver Broncos …
1. Bittersweet revenge: Two Pick 6’s by Jameis Winston spoiled a record-setting game for him and receiver Jerry Jeudy in a wild, 41-32 Browns’ loss to the Broncos. Winston surpassed the Browns’ all-time passing record of 457 yards and was driving for a possible go-ahead score when his throw for Elijah Moore was intercepted and returned 46 yards for a touchdown by Denver cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian with 1:59 to play. Winston had four touchdown throws, including one to Jeudy, who torched his former team for 235 yards receiving. Denver also had a 71-yard Pick 6 by linebacker Nick Bonitto to supplement some big plays by Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix. Winston finished with 497 yards passing until a third interception was recorded in the end zone with less than a minute to go. The Browns fell to 3-9. The Broncos solidified a playoff spot and improved to 8-5.
2. Thanks, Sean: Denver coach Sean Payton’s greed enabled the Browns to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Denver had a 31-25 lead and forced a punt in three plays to begin the frame. Then on first down, Payton called for Nix to go deep for Marvin Mims. Nix overshot his receiver and Denzel Ward came down with the interception. In nine plays, Winston took the Browns 72 yards to the end zone. Nick Chubb’s 5-yard reception and the PAT put the Browns ahead, 32-31. On the series, Winston went over 400 yards passing and Jeudy surpassed 200 yards receiving.
3. Bo, again: Every time the Browns backed up Denver’s offense with expert punts, Nix made big plays. He did it again on a drive starting at his 3-yard line, connecting with Courtland Sutton on the run for a 32-yard gain. Altitude seemed to take hold of the Browns’ defense on this drive as it allowed 43 yards to running back Jaleel McLaughlin on 4 carries. But it held at the end and forced a 36-yard field goal by Will Lutz. Denver led, 31-25, into the fourth quarter.
4. Back and forth: Nix and Winston traded haymakers with long touchdowns in the span of 44 seconds in the third quarter. First it was Nix connecting with speedster Marvin Mims for a 94-yard TD when Mims raced behind linebacker Jordan Hicks in the middle of the field and Denzel Ward just missed swatting it away. It was Nix's longest play of his rookie year. But on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Winston continued helping Jeudy to haunt his former team. Jeudy put a move on cornerback Levi Wallace and sprinted five yards behind him when Winston’s ball arrived. You could hear jaws drop all over Empower Field. Jeudy sauntered toward the end zone, stopped just shy of it, turned and leaned backwards over the goal line for a 70-yard TD. Adding insult, Jeudy caught Winston’s pass on a 2-point try to close the Browns’ deficit to 28-25. At that point, Jeudy had 6 catches for a career-high 167 yards. Wow.
5. Up and down Bo: Nix, Payton’s QB prodigy, had only two good possessions in the first half. They were solid touchdown drives. And linebacker Nick Bonitto’s 71-yard interception return for a TD with 1:38 to go upped Denver’s lead to 21-10. Nix had his first interception in four games and only his third of the year when Myles Garrett pressured and creamed him as he released a ball. It ricocheted off Ward and into Greg Newsome’s hands for the INT.
6. Up and down Jameis: Winston rode a roller coaster, also. He authored a perfect 158.3 passer rating in the first quarter (5 of 6, 118 yards, 1TD to David Njoku), had a cold stretch, which included a stare-down of tight end Jordan Akins on the Bonitto INT, and then quickly regained the hot hand with a snappy 70-yard TD drive on which he completed 7 of 11 for 70 yards and another TD to Njoku. Winston had 245 yards passing in the first half, with the Browns trailing, 21-17.
7. Jeudy loving it: Jeudy got the first call of the night when Winston connected on a crossing route for a 44-yard gain on the Browns’ first play. Every time Jeudy touched the ball, Denver fans booed, and Jeudy responded at one point with the “bring it on” gesture. Jeudy had 5 catches on 8 targets for 97 yards in the first half. On one play, Winston overthrew Jeudy by 3 yards as Jeudy raced 5 yards behind cornerback Levi Wallace in the middle of the field. It should’ve been an 89-yard TD play. Ultimately, that cost Winston from toppling 500 passing yards and Jeudy 300 receiving yards.
8. Fix it: Dustin Hopkins missed a 47-yard field goal try wide left on the Browns’ first possession. It was Hopkins’ seventh miss in 22 attempts. He atoned, however, with a 45-yard make in the second quarter.
9. Toss the challenge bag: Kevin Stefanski declined to challenge a questionable call on what looked like a Mohamoud Diabate punch out of a catch by tight end Adam Trautman and return for a touchdown by M.J. Emerson. The officials ruled it an incomplete pass. Looked very debatable. Denver had to punt two plays later.
10. Google it: Denver’s second touchdown was scored on a 1-yard run by fullback Michael Burton. It’s got to be the rarest scoring play in the NFL, anymore. Most teams don’t even carry a fullback on their roster.
11. Pre-game notes: No surprises on Browns inactives: Free safety Juan Thornhill, receiver Cedric Tillman, running back D’Onta Foreman, cornerback Chigozie Anusiem, left tackle Jedrick Wills, defensive tackle Sam Kamara, and defensive end James Houston.