Horse Tracks: Bonitto, J-Mac, Barton bail out Broncos’ defense with game-changing INTs

Despite Jameis Winston and Jerry Jeudy having record-setting days on offense, the Broncos’ D came up big in a few key moments.

Sean Payton was all of us after that game:

“Holy cow.”

Indeed.

“Some games go in a direction you think they are going to go,” Payton added. “Obviously that one went in a much different direction. We did enough and made enough plays in the end to win.”

It was an unusually succinct opening statement from the head coach who seemed as exhausted — and baffled — as the rest of us.

A low-scoring, defensive-minded, run-the-ball, sustain-long-drives kind of game seemed the likely strategy. Vegas had the over/under point total at 41.5.

In hindsight, betting the under would have just been embarrassing.

Three hours later…

It was a game of one big play after another. On both sides from both teams. Fortunately, the Broncos defense was able to make a couple more of them in the end to make the difference.

“Especially late, it was huge. It was not perfect by any means, but we were able to finish,” Payton said.

Up just 34-32 with under two minutes to go in the game and the Browns driving across mid-field, Ja’Quan McMillian literally snatched the ball from Elijah Moore’s waiting hands and realized soon after that no one had touched him.

So he got up and ran with it.

It seemed like that should be the end of it. But Jameis Winston had other plans as he drove the Browns to Denver’s two-yard line with 34 seconds to go.

And then came the dealbreaker. This time, care of Cody Barton.

“That was an exhausting game. Shout out to Cleveland, got to give them their props,” said edge rusher Jonathan Cooper. “They came out and fought hard, and they fought hard for four quarters. You know, that’s a testament to them, and we had to be ready. I’m really proud of this team for how we kept fighting.”

Although it was the Broncos’ defense that allowed the Browns to stay in the game, it was also the defense that helped the Broncos ultimately pull away with the dub.

“Right before the play, we were in a huddle and I was like, talking to ‘J-Mac’ (McMillian), ‘Our path here to the NFL wasn’t easy. We can’t expect nothing different,’” said safety P.J. Locke. “And he was like ‘You know what? You’re right. Pick! Pick!”

He was inspired by Nik Bonitto’s 71-yard pick-six in the first half. The edge rusher was so sleek, he looked like a defensive back out there.

“I’ve been trying to tell people I used to play safety back in the day and people are surprised,” he said laughing. “Just trying to do my job. When I saw a chance to break on the ball, I kind of just went and did that.”

So McMillian told “the guys” on defense, he was going to make a play too.

“I just felt it all game,” he said, adding that after watching Bonitto take it to the house, he had to do something. “When you see your teammate make another play, you want to make a play as well.”

Locke didn’t care how or who got it done, just that it got done.

“We had the ultimate faith. We had the ultimate faith,” he said. “It was a matter of just executing. We just really had to buckle down. McMillian came up with a crazy play. We came up with a win, and I’m so proud. I’m sort of speechless.”

As expected, Bo Nix might have been the happiest player on the team for those picks.

“I saw three turnovers in key parts of the game. Not only are turnovers hard to get, but to return it for touchdowns? That’s even harder. The fact that they did it twice, it was crazy,” Nix said, recalling watching it unfold on the Jumbotron while he sat on the heated benches to get ready for the next point. “So it’s pretty nice for the offense when they bail us out like that. It was a complete team win.”

The real beauty of the Broncos winning after not playing the game exactly as they imagined was that they still figured out how to win that game.

“It’s huge. We’re a confident bunch right now. We’re playing aggressively. We’re playing together. We’re playing with a little bit of confidence and a chip on our shoulder,” Nix said, adding that the team isn’t just trying to prove to outsiders that they are a good team. “[We are] just trying to continue to prove not only to other people but to ourselves that we have a really good football team. We’re starting to play like it. Playing with that confidence is important. It’s good to see us win in games like this. It doesn’t matter how it happens. We just make the next play.”

Like this “MF dot” (as Chris Harris Jr. would say).

Holy cow:

Broncos/NFL News

Browns-Broncos on ‘Monday Night Football’: What We Learned from Denver’s 41-32 win
Bo Nix rallied his squad late for a go-ahead field goal and the Broncos defense stood tall thanks to a Ja’Quan McMillian pick-six to defeat the Cleveland Browns in a nail-biter on Monday Night Football.

Browns QB Jameis Winston on 497-yard, 3 INT showing: ‘In front of the whole world, I messed it up for us’
Good, bad and ugly, Jameis Winston ran the full gamut in the Browns’ Monday night loss to the Broncos, as Winston threw for a franchise-record 497 yards to go with three interceptions — two of them returned for scores.

Broncos top Browns despite big nights from Jameis Winston, Jerry Jeudy: Live updates and reaction from NFL ‘Monday Night Football’ – The Athletic
Denver’s defense was shredded by Cleveland’s passing attack but escaped with a 41-32 win thanks in large part to a pair of pick sixes thrown by Winston

NFL playoff picture after Week 13: Steelers seize control of AFC North, Bills clinch AFC East – The Athletic
Who’s in and who’s out? Take a look at the NFL playoff picture as it stands with one game left in Week 13.

Denver Broncos author wild win over Cleveland Browns – ESPN
In a game that featured two interceptions returned for touchdowns by the hosts, the Denver Broncos spoiled career-best performances by Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston and receiver Jerry Jeudy, defeating the Browns 41-32 at Empower Field at Mile High.

Jerry Jeudy’s career night in Denver return dampened by Browns loss – ESPN
Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy put together a career night in his first game back in Denver — nine catches for 235 receiving yards and a touchdown — but would have traded it all for a Cleveland win.

‘We had a fight on our hands’: Broncos show resolve, prove their resilience in wild 41-32 win over Browns
“At the end of the day, we had more points than them at the end of the game,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said, “and that’s all that really matters.”

Cover 4: Broncos’ defense makes big plays late as Denver earns 41-32 win in back-and-forth ‘Monday Night Football’ classic
These are the players and plays that led to the Broncos’ Week 13 win over the Cleveland Browns.

Sean Payton explains why Pat Surtain II wasn’t following Jerry Jeudy the entire game in the Denver Broncos’ win over the Browns – DNVR Sports
Why was All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II not following Jerry Jeudy all game in the Denver Broncos’ win over the Browns? Sean Payton explained after the game.

‘No matter what the situation is, we’re going to find a way to win’: Broncos’ defense comes up big in final moments to secure ‘Monday Night Football’ victory over Cleveland Browns
Denver’s defense recorded three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, in the 41-32 victory.