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Flashback
Season 9
The last two match-ups between Cleveland and Denver have been barn burners. The teams met in week four of last season in Cleveland Browns stadium. Denver came back from deficits of 21-13 and 28-19 to take a 36-28 lead late in the third. Behind the passing of Matthew Stafford , Cleveland took a 41-36 lead with 11 minutes left in the game. Josh Allen would lead Denver on a 75 yards 10 play scoring drive to retake the lead and win this shootout 42-41.
That game would weigh in big, as both teams finished with a 12-4 record. Thirteen weeks later the two teams would meet in Wild card weekend, but this time at Sports Authority Stadium. Denver took a 14-0 lead by the end of the 1st quarter. But the pace of the game slowed down and Cleveland chipped away at Denver's lead. At the 5:22 mark of the 3rd, Cleveland kicked its 4th field goal, taking the lead 19-17. Both teams would go on long drives and exchange field goals. Cleveland held a 22-20 lead with 10:45 left. Josh Allen, led his team on a 8 minute drive to reclaim the lead when Nick Chubb ran it in from 13 yards out with 2:38 left. Cleveland in their two minute offense marched the ball 75 yards in 12 plays ending with Stafford to Diggs touchdown with 34 seconds left. With 19 seconds on the clock, Josh Allen scrambled out of the pocket finding Tim Patrick deep down field for the 48 yard bomb. The next play from the 12, Allen went back to Patrick for the game winner Denver 33-28. A victory that lifted the Broncos the next two weeks and into the Super Bowl.
Season 10
Week 10
Both teams are in a dog fight within their division. The Browns came into Sports Authority Stadium with an 8-1 record with Jacksonville above them and Buffalo one step behind. Denver finds themselves tied with Las Vegas and San Francisco with a 5-4 record in the hunt for their division.
1st Quarter
Denver took a 10-0 lead when strong safety Quandre Diggs stepped in front of Cleveland Stefon Diggs for the interception, returning it 29 yards for the touchdown. DEN 10-0
2nd Quarter
Stafford would get things going at the midway point of the 2nd quarter. A pass to Adam Thielen gained 29 and two passes to Diggs picked up 12 and 36, the last for the touchdown. DEN 10-7 After forcing a punt, Cleveland , in their two minutes offense moved the ball to DEN29. Stafford made his second bad pass of the game when Daniel Sorensen made a clean interception returning it 85 yards for Denver's second pick six of the game. This would be Stafford 4th pick six thrown of the season. DEN 17-7 A minute left in the half Stafford connected with Robby Anderson three times (27,12 & 9) to move within range of a Cairo Santos field goal. DEN 17-10
3rd quarter
Cleveland moved the 2nd half kickoff to DEN 13, but Denver defense held its ground forcing three incompletions as Cleveland settled for a field goal DEN 17-13 With Denver Nick Chubb out for the game after going down early in the contest with a broken bone in his hand. Coach Merlenbach adjusted his second half game plan using an aggressive passing attack. Josh Allen accurate short passes moved the ball to midfield, before going deep to Tim Patrick picking up 26. After a pass to Diontae Johnson gained 9, Allen short slant to Cole Beasley picked up the touchdown. DEN 24-13 Cleveland cut into the lead with a 39 yard field goal by Santos. DEN 24-16
On Denver next drive, Allen connected with Beasley on a medium hitch pass for 29. But, a few plays later the drive ended with a Cleveland sack.
4th Quarter
On Cleveland's next drive, they moved the ball to DEN 14. Stafford's third mistake of the game came when his red zone pass was intercepted by Kamu Grugier Hill. Cleveland would get the ball back with 5:04 left. Stafford went 6 for 7 for 59 yards on the drive. His pass over the middle to Anderson from 17 yards out for the touchdown made it DEN 24-22 The two point conversion was no good.
The Cleveland defense ended Denver's next drive on a sack, forcing a punt with 2:10 left. Passes to Anderson (12) and Diggs (9) moved the ball to DEN38. A ten yard pass to Thielen picked up ten and moved the ball to DEN 27 with 37 seconds left. The next play a short slant to Diggs found him in man coverage, breaking free for the catch and run touchdown from 27 yards out. CLE 29-24 With 12 seconds left Josh Allen last two bomb attempts were incomplete as the Browns held on for the victory 29-24.
The Denver stars of the game were Josh Allen going 23 of 38 for 264 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 47 yards on 16 attempts. Cole Beasley was his favorite target in catching 9 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. Quandre Diggs and Daniel Sorensen each had pick six, while Ndamukong Suh came away with two sacks.
Cleveland was led by Matthew Stafford who survived three interceptions, in throwing for 445 yards on 33 of 52 and three touchdowns. Stefon Diggs (158), Robby Anderson (121) and Adam Thielen (110) all had big games. While Aaron Donald and Josh Sweat each picked up two sacks.
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