Cleveland Browns vs Denver Broncos Match Player Stats (Dec 2, 2024)

The Cleveland Browns vs Denver Broncos match player stats tell a story that’ll have you shaking your head in disbelief. On a cold Monday Night Football clash in Week 13, the Browns outgained Denver by 152 yards yet somehow lost 41-32. I’ve analysed every snap from this wild December night at Mile High, and the numbers reveal why football remains the ultimate game of inches and opportunities.

The Box Score That Broke Hearts in Cleveland

Picture this: Jameis Winston drops back, surveys the field, and launches another missile downfield. The Browns are moving the ball at will, chewing up chunks of yardage like they’re playing against air. By game’s end, Cleveland had amassed 552 total yards. Denver? Just 400.

Yet when the final whistle blew, it was the Broncos celebrating an 8-5 record while the Browns fell to 3-9.

Monday Night Football Week 13 Overview

The beauty of this sport? Sometimes the team that dominates the stat sheet walks away empty-handed. And brother, did Cleveland dominate that stat sheet.

Winston’s Record Night: A Tale of Two Quarterbacks

Jameis Winston was dealing. The man threw for 497 yards, obliterating Josh McCown’s 2015 franchise record of 457. Four touchdowns. Completions all over the field. The Browns faithful watching back home must’ve thought they were witnessing something special.

Quarterback Comparison – MNF Week 13

But here’s the kicker. Two of Winston’s three interceptions? Straight to the house. Nik Bonitto read Winston’s eyes in the second quarter, jumped the route, and took it 71 yards for six. Later, with Cleveland driving to potentially tie, Ja’Quan McMillian stepped in front of another pass and raced 44 yards to paydirt.

Those 14 points proved to be the difference in a 9-point game. Mathematics doesn’t lie.

Jerry Jeudy’s Revenge Tour Hits Different

Every time Jerry Jeudy touched the ball, the Denver crowd let him hear it. Boos rained down from the stands at Empower Field. The former Broncos first-round pick had circled this game the moment the schedule dropped.

Top Receiving Performances – Browns vs Broncos

Jeudy’s response? Nine catches. 235 yards. An NFL record for receiving yards against a former team. After his 70-yard touchdown in the second quarter, he cupped his hand to his ear, soaking in every decibel of displeasure. The man was on a mission, and he accomplished it, even in defeat.

David Njoku worked the middle, hauling in nine catches on 17 targets. The tight end found paydirt twice, capitalising on Denver’s focus on containing Jeudy and Moore. Nick Chubb even got involved in the passing game, turning two catches into 24 yards and a score.

Denver’s Ground Game vs Cleveland’s Struggles

While Winston was slinging it all over Mile High, the Browns’ rushing attack went nowhere fast. Twenty-three attempts. Seventy-seven yards. Zero touchdowns. When your running game averages 3.3 yards per pop, you’re asking your quarterback to win it through the air against a defence that entered the night allowing just 16.8 points per game.

Rushing Comparison – Monday Night Week 13

Jaleel McLaughlin paced Denver with 84 yards on 14 carries. His 6.0 yards per attempt kept drives alive and clocks running. When you control the line of scrimmage like that, good things happen. Javonte Williams and fullback Michael Burton each punched in short touchdowns, capping drives with the physicality Cleveland couldn’t match.

The Defence That Changed Everything

Let’s talk about what really won this game. According to ESPN’s game recap, Winston himself took responsibility: “I’ve got to play better. I’m just praying for the Lord to deliver me from pick-6s.”

The Broncos defence didn’t just make plays; they scored points. Bonitto’s 71-yard return in the second quarter shifted momentum permanently. The Mile High crowd erupted as the linebacker raced down the sideline, high-stepping into the end zone.

McMillian’s dagger came with Cleveland threatening late. Winston looked for his receiver on an out route, but McMillian had it diagnosed from the snap. Forty-four yards later, the Broncos had their insurance score.

Defensive Impact Plays

The pressure differential told another story. Denver sacked Winston three times, with Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, and Jonah Elliss each recording one. Meanwhile, Bo Nix operated with a clean pocket all night. Not one sack. Not one knockdown. That comfort level showed when he connected with Marvin Mims Jr. on a 93-yard bomb in the third quarter.

When Stats Lie and Scoreboard Tells Truth

Time of possession? Cleveland won it, 32:10 to 27:50. First downs? Browns led 28-19. Total plays? Cleveland ran 84 to Denver’s 61. Yet none of it mattered when the final whistle blew.

The Browns converted 9 of 19 third downs. They were perfect on fourth down (2-2). They even outscored Denver 3-2 in red zone touchdowns. But those two defensive scores created a math problem Cleveland couldn’t solve.

PFF’s analysis highlighted how Jeudy’s 90.4 grade would be his first ever above 90.0 if it holds. All those yards, all that production, overshadowed by three costly turnovers.

Special Teams: The Forgotten Phase

Dustin Hopkins missed a 47-yard field goal on Cleveland’s opening drive. In a game decided by single digits, those three points loomed large. Wil Lutz, meanwhile, went perfect for Denver: 2-for-2 on field goals, 5-for-5 on extra points.

Kicking Game Summary

Riley Dixon’s punting kept Cleveland in poor field position, averaging 51.2 yards on five punts with three downed inside the 20. Field position matters in December football, especially at altitude.

Historical Context: When Yards Don’t Equal Wins

This Browns-Broncos matchup joins a long list of NFL games where statistical dominance meant nothing. The 2000 Ravens won a Super Bowl averaging just 16.3 points per game. The 2007 Patriots scored 589 points but lost when it mattered most.

In the modern NFL, turnovers remain king. Teams that win the turnover battle win approximately 78% of the time. When you lose it by three and give up two defensive touchdowns? Your chances plummet to near zero.

Betting Lines and Public Perception

Denver entered as 6.5-point favourites despite Cleveland’s recent upset wins over Baltimore and Pittsburgh. The betting public split down the middle, with many backing Winston and the points after his hot streak.

The over/under sat at 41.5, which looked low considering Winston’s gunslinging style and Denver’s explosive potential. The 73 combined points crushed that total before the fourth quarter even started.

What This Means Going Forward

For Denver, this victory formula works. At 8-5, they control their playoff destiny in the AFC wild card race. Sean Payton’s defence has found its identity: create turnovers, score points, and let Bo Nix manage games efficiently.

The Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since their Super Bowl run in 2015. With games remaining against inferior opponents, their 76% playoff probability looks solid. This defence can travel, and in January, that matters.

Cleveland’s season was already over, but this loss stings differently. When you outgain an opponent by 152 yards and lose by nine, questions arise. Kevin Stefanski’s decision to abandon the run early put everything on Winston’s shoulders. Against an opportunistic defence, that’s playing with fire.

The Human Element

After the game, Winston stood at his locker, still processing what happened. “I know I’m better than this,” he told reporters. The quarterback who once threw for 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns in a season knows the highs and lows better than anyone.

Jeudy, meanwhile, savoured his revenge game despite the loss. Those 235 yards against the team that drafted him 15th overall in 2020? Sweet vindication, even in defeat.

For comparison, look at similar division rivalry games where emotion and history create wild statistical anomalies.

Monday Night Memories

The atmosphere at Mile High was electric from the opening kick. December football in Denver brings its own challenges. The cold, the altitude, the noise. Winston’s pre-game speech to his teammates leaked out: “It’s got to come from your heart!” And for 60 minutes, both teams played with plenty of heart.

The turning point? Take your pick. Bonitto’s pick-six gave Denver a lead they’d never relinquish. Nix’s 93-yard touchdown pass to Mims showed the rookie’s growth and poise. McMillian’s late interception return simply sealed what was already decided.

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The Final Word

Sometimes in football, the box score tells one story while the scoreboard tells another. The Cleveland Browns vs Denver Broncos match player stats from this Monday Night Football classic prove that yards are just numbers, but points decide games. Winston’s 497 yards will go down in Browns history, but so will the three interceptions that cost them a winnable game in the Mile High City.