Week 13 of the 2024 NFL campaign ends tonight when the Denver Broncos host the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football. Cleveland (3-8) is merely trying to gather momentum for the 2025 season. Denver (7-5) is fighting for a postseason berth and would hold a two-game lead over the Indianapolis Colts for the final wild-card spot with a victory tonight.
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If the Broncos are to head into their bye on a three-game win streak, their defense will have to stifle Browns quarterback Jameis Winston. Cleveland’s signal-caller is just as capable of throwing four touchdowns as he is of tossing four interceptions. As a result, Denver’s defensive line will have to operate at peak efficiency to come out on top.
Former head coach Jon Gruden is optimistic about Denver’s chances. He recently compared this Broncos unit to their vaunted “Orange Crush” defense that dominated the league in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Gruden then honored the “Orange Crush” in the process of nicknaming them.
“Now… they’ve got defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. And I call them ‘Anonymous Crush’ because not enough people know who they are. But you’ll find out tonight. Guys like Zach Allen, Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Brandon Jones, Justin Strnad, Cody Barton and John Franklin-Myers. I didn’t even mention Patrick Surtain. They’ll kick your a*s, this group.”
The “Anonymous Crush” is allowing 16.8 points per game entering MNF, second-best in the league. They’ve only surrendered more than 20 points three times in 12 contests. Conversely, the Browns are scoring just 16.9 points per game, second-lowest in the NFL.
If Denver holds Cleveland to 17 points or fewer, they are likely to win the game. The Broncos are 7-2 this year when yielding fewer than 20 points in a game. But that 17-point demarcation is important. The Browns are 3-0 when scoring more than 17 points (and 0-8 when they don’t), while Denver is 0-3 when their opponent surpasses 20 points.
Tipped and picked for 6! Barton nabs the INT and takes it to the for the @Broncos#DENvsNO on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/TsAlV2lxuH— NFL (@NFL) October 18, 2024
When the Broncos’ defense allows points, their offense typically doesn’t score much. Denver is 1-5 when posting 20 points or less. It’s important for head coach Sean Payton and rookie quarterback Bo Nix to finish offensive drives with touchdowns. Otherwise, they may not eclipse 20 points and could miss out on boosting their playoff odds.
