Coach Sean Payton has rookie QB Bo Nix leading the Broncos to a 7-5 record and in the hunt for an AFC playoff berth.
You must have an active subscription to read this story.
Click Here to subscribe Now!
Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Denver Broncos
Monday, 8:15 p.m., in Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
Record: 7-5.
Last game: Defeated Las Vegas Raiders, 29-19, November 24 in Las Vegas.
Coach: Sean Payton, 15-14, second year; 176-111 overall.
Series record: Broncos lead, 25-7 (counting postseason).
Last meeting: Broncos won, 29-12, November 26, 2023, in Denver.
League rankings: Offense is 23rd overall (23rd rushing, 22nd passing), defense is third overall (sixth rushing, ninth passing) and turnover differential is plus-12.
Things to watch
1. Despite owning the most dead cap money ($84 million) in the league as a result of the release of Russell Wilson in March, the Broncos sit in the seventh AFC playoff seed by 1 ½ games and feel they can virtually clinch a post-season berth with wins in their next two games. After the Browns game, they have a bye week followed by a home game against the Colts. If they get to 9-5, their post-season chances are good with games remaining at the Chargers, at the Bengals and home v. the Chiefs.
2. Quarterback Bo Nix has closed the gap on early runaway leader Jayden Daniels for NFL offensive rookie-of-the-year honors. Daniels leads in passing yards (2,613 to 2,548), yards per attempt (7.87 to 6.39) and passer rating (97.6 to 89.9), but Mix leads in TD passes (16 to 12) and combined offensive TDs (21 to 16). While some teams considered Nix “over-aged” at 24, his record 61 college starts at Auburn and Oregon served him well as a rookie. Nix’s maturity, football IQ and feel for the pocket have helped to keep his sacks to a minimum (19) despite the absence of a consistent running game.
3. While Javonte Williams is the so-called feature back, Payton has not been shy in using a committee approach in the backfield. In the last three games, the offense has had three different leading ball-carriers – Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime.
4. The Broncos replaced Cleveland-bound Jerry Jeudy with a pair of strapping rookie receivers, Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele. Vele, a seventh-round pick from Utah, has been a revelation. The 6-4, 210-pounder is second on the team with 361 receiving yards. He played five years at Utah and served a two-year Mormon missionary, so he entered the NFL as a 26-year-old rookie. He is a good complement to 6-4, 216-pound Courtland Sutton, who arguably is having his finest NFL season (57 catches, 744 yards, 5 TD) at age 29.
5. Defense carried the team while Nix developed early. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph made a change in his second year at the helm and shucked the two-gap D-line scheme he inherited from Vic Fangio. The result has been a big improvement in pass rush – a league-leading 44 sacks -- paced by second-year edge rusher Nik Bonnito, who has 10 sacks after getting one in six games in a row.
Did you know … ?
1. Cornerback Pat Surtain, who usually covers the opponent’s No. 1 receiver, has allowed 23 receptions in 38 targets for 177 yards. Those are the second-fewest receptions and fewest yards allowed by a cornerback this year with a minimum of 300 coverage snaps. He also has a 100-yard Pick 6 against the Raiders.
2. Since Week 5, Bo Nix’s passer rating of 104.4 is fourth-best in the NFL behind Lamar Jackson (125.0), Jared Goff (119.9) and Joe Burrow (107.5).
3. The Broncos’ red zone defense (13 TDs allowed in 33 trips, 39.4%) is No. 1 in the NFL.
4. According to NextGenStats, Bonitto has the fifth-quickest time off the snap of the ball among defenders. Bonitto’s average get-off time is .75 seconds. Myles Garrett is second on this list at .72 seconds.
5. Since he entered the NFL last year, returner Marvin Mims leads the NFL in punt return average (15.0 yards) and is second in kickoff returns (26.9).
6. The Broncos won 64.2% of their games (202-111-7) in Mile High Stadium from 1960 through 2000. Since they moved into Empower Field, their home record is 106-72 (.595).
Small world: Senior offensive assistant Pete Carmichael was Browns tight ends coach in 2000 … defensive pass game coordinator and linebackers coach Jim Leonhard played for the Browns in 2014.