Takeaways from a Monday Night Thriller in Mile High
In what was one of the most exciting games of the season, the Denver Broncos took down the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football 41-32. This game featured big play after big play as both amassed a combined 952 yards on the night along with 73 total points. However, several of these big plays came on the defensive side of the ball as there were a total of five interceptions thrown with two of them resulting in touchdowns. With such a high-scoring affair, what are the key takeaways for NFL fans to pay attention to for the rest of the season?
Browns: Jameis Winston is Still Jameis Winston
This might have been the most Jameis Winston game ever. Jameis threw for nearly 500 yards in one game with four touchdowns, but he couldn’t help but throw several interceptions down the stretch that helped seal the game for the Broncos. With the running game being ineffective for Cleveland for a lot of the game, they turned to Jameis to throw them back into the game. As expected, Jameis delivered a lot of big plays, just not always resulting in a positive play for his own team. He can still certainly be a starting quarterback in this league, but he has to cut down on his turnovers if his team ever expects to be successful. He is a major upgrade from how this Cleveland offense was playing earlier this year under Deshaun Watson, but they still aren’t winning games consistently. The rest of the season will be a true litmus test of whether Jameis can be seriously considered the long-term starter for this team moving forward.
Broncos: What a Turnaround By the Defense!
Last year, this Broncos defense was near the bottom of the league in virtually every aspect. However, Sean Payton has caused a turnaround in Denver with this defense stepping up majorly in this game and throughout this season. This defense is third in the league in points allowed per game at 18 points per game. Even though they allowed 31 last night, this defense managed to force three turnovers, including two pick-sixes, which put the Broncos in a position to win this game despite the offense being a bit lackluster at times. This strong defense, combined with Bo Nix’s emergence at the quarterback position, should help this team compete for a wild card spot in the AFC down the last stretch of the season.
Broncos: The AFC West Will Be Very Competitive in the Future
Between the Broncos, Chargers, and Chiefs, this AFC West division is going to be extremely competitive for years to come. All of these teams have shown they have very capable quarterbacks with Bo Nix, Justin Herbert, and Patrick Mahomes, all combined with veteran coaches who are amazing team builders. The Broncos and Chargers have been dominant as of recently and are looking to be serious contenders for the foreseeable future. Look for this division to become as competitive as the NFC North has been this year for the foreseeable future with several of these AFC West teams having dependable franchise quarterbacks.
