The Denver Broncos went from being handed brutal losses to gaining signature wins.
Those victories have come during their NFL-best five-game winning streak, with the latest arriving on Sunday against one of the AFC’s top teams.
How the Denver Broncos Upended the Previously 7-3 Cleveland Browns
The latest “Mile High” moment? Knocking off the previously 7-3 Cleveland Browns 29-12.
And it was a game where the then-5-5 Broncos, not the Browns, looked more like the team in the hunt for the AFC’s best record.
Denver never trailed throughout the day at Empower Field at Mile High. Samaje Perine and Russell Wilson tacked on the first 14 points for the Broncos. The latter exposed some bad defensive eyes on his touchdown score.
Let. Russ. Cook. 🔥
The #Broncos are rolling early!#BroncosCountry
pic.twitter.com/iGNEDSGYW0— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 26, 2023
Even when the Browns sliced the lead to 14-12, Denver responded by outscoring Cleveland 15-0. Defense became the soul snatcher for the Browns.
The Broncos pounced on two fumbles — one recovered by D.J. Jones and the other swooped up by Alex Singleton following a P.J. Walker sack. Then, Denver forced an incompletion on a fourth-down try. Lastly, Walker got sacked in the end zone by Zach Allen, handing two more points to the Broncos.
Overall, Denver continued its takeaway party theme in consecutive weeks — this time falling on top of three Cleveland fumbles.
Sean Payton Gives Credit to Broncos’ Defense
Head coach Sean Payton, once considered an early candidate to be fired from his post, is now charging an NFL Coach of the Year Award run. He now has the Broncos at 6-5 after surviving, what he called, a physical team.
“I just finished telling the team, we felt like this was going to be a pretty physical game,” Payton began. “We have a lot of respect for this team. They came in here, obviously, with a real good record.”
MORE: NFL Playoff Picture Week 12
Payton gave praise to his defensive coordinator Vance Joseph for adjusting to the Browns following the brief two-point Broncos lead.
“We got into some heavier fronts to try to take away some of their strengths,” Payton said.
By going heavy across the trenches, Cleveland was unable to gain anything past 19 yards on the ground facing the Broncos.
#BroncosCountry LIVE: @SeanPayton meets the media after #CLEvsDEN https://t.co/0ePcnzJKa2
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 27, 2023
This defense has flipped a nastier switch after some early punishment from opponents. Including the 19-8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver hasn’t allowed more than 22 points over the last six weeks. And now, the Broncos just bottled an offense that averaged 22.7 points per game to 12 points.
Playoff Picture Becoming Clearer for Broncos
The Broncos’ Sunday win is proof this team is not the one that started 1-5.
This Denver team just took down a Browns squad that previously knocked off one of the AFC’s best in the Baltimore Ravens. Now at 6-5, the Broncos are increasing their chances of making the postseason.
Now comes two major tests ahead.
First up is a Houston Texans team with an identical record. But Houston will likely come into NRG Stadium irate over failing to sweep the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Denver then heads to Inglewood, Calif., to face a Los Angeles Chargers team hoping to avoid a potential 4-7 start on Sunday Night Football in Week 12. But after the AFC West showdown, the next major test comes up in the Motor City — the current 8-3 Detroit Lions will be awaiting them.
But for the final three weeks after the Detroit trip, Denver gets three opponents who are all below .500, which includes the now 5-7 Las Vegas Raiders.
Denver is now one of three AFC teams with six wins. To bypass the Texans and another surging team in the Indianapolis Colts, the Broncos have now positioned themselves to potentially hit 10 wins or higher with the current streak they’re on.
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