Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted a Jameis Winston pass and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown to help the host Denver Broncos clinch a 41-32 shootout win over the Cleveland Browns on Monday night.
Bo Nix completed 18 of 35 for 294 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions as the Broncos (8-5) won a third straight game entering their bye. Denver’s Marvin Mims Jr. had three catches for 105 yards and a touchdown and Courtland Sutton added six catches for 102.
Winston racked up a career-high 497 passing yards and four touchdowns for Cleveland (3-9), and Jerry Jeudy had nine receptions for a career-best 235 yards against his former team. But Winston threw a pair of killer pick-6s, as earlier in the game Nik Bonitto returned his first career interception 71 yards for a score.
The Browns trailed by two and were beginning to drive upfield, but on the first play after the two-minute warning, McMillian corralled Winston’s pass intended for Elijah Moore and landed on the ground. Untouched, he stood up and rushed down the sideline for the score. Winston tossed a third interception in the game’s final minute.
Early in the second half, Nix found Mims deep over the middle on third-and-11 and Mims sprinted away for a 93-yard touchdown, establishing a 28-17 lead.
The double-digit advantage didn’t last. On the Browns’ ensuing play from scrimmage, Winston hit Jeudy, who raced off for a 70-yard touchdown. Winston completed the two-point conversion pass to Jeudy as well to cut the margin to 28-25.
Down six after Wil Lutz’s 36-yard field goal, the Browns benefited from Denzel Ward’s interception and drove 72 yards to Winston’s 5-yard touchdown toss to Nick Chubb with 8:57 left in the game. The extra point gave the Browns a 32-31 lead until Denver went back in front on Lutz’s 27-yard field goal with 2:54 to go.
The Broncos opened the scoring with Javonte Williams’ 2-yard run. The Browns answered when Winston connected with David Njoku in the end zone for an 8-yard TD with 1:09 remaining in the first quarter.
Denver’s first turnover since Nov. 3 came when Ward batted Nix’s pass up in the air and Greg Newsome II corralled the interception. It led to Dustin Hopkins’ 45-yard field goal and a 10-7 Browns lead.
Broncos fullback Michael Burton scored from a yard out, just the second rushing touchdown of his 10-year career, to put the hosts back in front with 4:03 left in the first half.
Then Bonitto, who later added his 11th sack of the season, jumped in front of a throw and sprinted back the other way for an 11-point Denver lead.
Winston atoned by running a two-minute drill and completing his second TD pass to Njoku with 13 seconds left to secure a 21-17 halftime score.
–Field Level Media