The Denver Broncos (7-5) will host the Cleveland Browns (3-8) tonight on Monday Night Football in an AFC conference showdown. A win tonight would put the Broncos at 8-5 heading into their bye week, with an additional cushion against some of the other teams around the AFC who are trying to creep up into the wildcard.
Tonight’s game has huge implications for the remainder of Denver’s season.
Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns
Here is the tale of the tape for Monday Night Football tonight.
Broncos offense:
- Net Yards Per Game – 313.5 (23rd)
- Points Per Game – 22.0 (19th)
- Net Rushing Yards Per Game – 111.6 (23rd) *good run game?
- Net Passing Yards Per Game – 201.9 (22nd)
- Sacks Allowed – 19 (4th)
- Third Down Conversion Percentage – 37.2% (21st)
- Red Zone Conversion Percentage – 57.5% (12th)
- Best Offensive Players: Bo Nix, Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele
- Leading Wide Receiver: Courtland Sutton (744) and five touchdowns
- Leading Rusher: Javonte Williams (445 yards)
Browns Defense:
- Net Yards Allowed Per Game – 345.0 (21st)
- Points Per Game Allowed – 24.3 (22nd)
- Net Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game – 130.6 (24th)
- Net Passing Yards Allowed Per Game – 214.4 (T-15th)
- Sacks – 32 (T-9th)
- Third Down Conversion Percentage – 34.3% (7th)
- Red Zone Conversion Percentage – 62.5% (22nd)
- Leading Sack Producer: Myles Garrett (10)
- Leading Tackler: Grant Delpit (69)
- Interception Leader: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (1) *
* Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is on injured reserve
Broncos Defense:
- Net Yards Allowed Per Game – 296.0 (3rd)
- Points Per Game Allowed – 16.8 (3rd)
- Net Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game – 96.2 (6th)
- Net Passing Yards Allowed Per Game – 199.8 (9th)
- Sacks – 44 (1st)
- Third Down Conversion Percentage – 36.3% (14th)
- Red Zone Conversion Percentage – 39.4 (1st)
- Best Defensive Players: Patrick Surtain II, Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen
- Lead Sack Producer: Nik Bonitto (10)
- Leading Tackler: Brandon Jones (79)
- Interception Leader: Patrick Surtain II (3)
Browns Offense:
- Net Yards Per Game – 292.5 (29th)
- Points Per Game – 16.9 (30th)
- Net Rushing Yards Per Game – 88.2 (29th)
- Net Passing Yards Per Game – 204.3 (21st)
- Sacks Allowed – 47 (32nd)
- Third Down Conversion Percentage – 27.0% (32nd)
- Red Zone Conversion Percentage – 57.1% (T-13th)
- Best Offensive Players: Jameis Winston, Jerry Jeudy, David Njoku
- Leading Wide Receiver: Jerry Jeudy (645 yards) and two touchdowns
- Leading Rusher: Jerome Ford (298 yards rushing) and one touchdown
Notable Injuries for Sunday’s game
Denver Broncos:
- Cornerback Riley Moss has a knee injury and is out.
Cleveland Browns:
- Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills has a knee injury and is out.
- Safety Juan Thornhill has a calf injury and is out.
- Wide receiver Cedric Tillman has a concussion and is out.
- Tight end Geoff Swaim has a concussion and is out and headed to IR.
- Cornerback Greg Newsome has an abdomen injury and will play.
- Offensive tackle Germain Ifedi has a biceps injury and will play.
Key for the Broncos – Avoid Myles Garrett’s path
Bo Nix and the Broncos offense will have to avoid Browns’ pass rusher Myles Garrett and the path he’s been on this year. Coming into tonight’s matchup, Garrett has 10 sacks on the season, tying him with Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto. He’s had several games where he’s had multiple sacks, and he’s the biggest problem the Broncos offense will face this evening.
Denver had success last week limiting Maxx Crosby from continuing his sack streak against the Broncos, and they’ll have to be on their P’s and Q’s against Garrett, who has a dominant power rush and has a multitude of athletic traits that create matchup problems on the perimeter.
“They’re different [types of] players,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said. “They’re both elite at their position. They’re both Pro Bowl, All-Pro-type caliber players that can take over a game. We have a ton of respect for those guys. It forces you to have a really good plan for them. That requires a little bit more work, a little bit more calories during the evening meetings, but it’s necessary.”
Matchup to watch for – Patrick Surtain II vs. Jerry Jeudy
Former Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has emerged as the No. 1 option for Jameis Winston and the Cleveland Browns offense this season. Jeudy leads the team with 645 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
In Monday Night Football, Jeudy will run into his former teammate Patrick Surtain II, who will likely be the one who follows him around. While Jeudy is the number one option for the Browns, Surtain has been the neutralizer against number one options this season.
“Just knowing your keys and being patient with him,” Surtain said this week. “Obviously he has a lot of stuff at the line and his route running ability is top tier. You just have to be patient. Trust your technique and use your leverage, stuff like that to win. Definitely we watched a lot of film, and we have a good gameplan going on.”
Pat Surtain rankings among cornerbacks with at least 300 coverage snaps (per @NextGenStats):
Passer Rating: 1st (47.6)
Yards Allowed: 1st (182)
EPA/Target: 1st (-0.68)
Tight Window %: 1st (40.0%)
Target Rate: 1st (10.8)
Yards After the Catch: 1st (36)
Receptions Allowed: 2nd… pic.twitter.com/DSyUKpfsgk— Tyler Gorse (@Tyler_Gorse_) November 27, 2024
Through 12 weeks of play, Surtain is 1st in the NFL in passer rating allowed when targeted (47.6), 1st in total yards against (182), 1st in Tight Window % (40.0%), 1st in Target Rate (10.8), 1st in Yards After the Catch (36), 2nd in receptions allowed (21), and 2nd in Yards Per Target (4.4). All that to say, he’s locking down everybody this season.
Denver’s pass rush will be crucial this week in trying to force Winston to throw it into tight windows, where the Broncos will have opportunities to come up with takeaways.