I guess we can expect another Denver Broncos loss this week. This time against the 2-5 Cleveland Browns. At least, if you are to believe the consensus from Mile High Report. Collectively, we see a Browns 17-16 win over the Broncos. Basically, another nail-biter of a defeat.
That is if we see the Browns team that scores points. They are a feast or famine offense. They have scored 13 or fewer points in four of their seven games and as bad as the Broncos have been, they’ve only achieved that level of ineptitude in two games this year. Although, Broncos have scored 16 or fewer points in six full games. What a difference a field goal makes, eh?
Oh wait, they are both two-win teams. Anyway, let’s get on with our individual predictions.
Broncos 20, Browns 13
Baker Mayfield has not quite lived up to his number one overall draft status and has become a turnover machine in his sophomore season. He has just six touchdown passes to 12 interceptions. That is definitely something one of the top ranked defenses in the NFL this season can take advantage of.
I expect Brandon Allen to put more points on the board, but I also think he’ll make a few bad decisions that will result in some short fields for the Browns. At the end of the day, however, I think this team rallies for a win in the post-Flacco era. - Tim Lynch
Browns 26, Broncos 24
I think the offense gets a little juice from some young blood at QB, Denver’s defense forces a few turnovers, but each team does their best to give the game away and Denver proves once again they can out-Brown the Browns. - Jeff Essary
Browns 16, Broncos 13
Honestly, we don’t know what to expect. Nick Chubb will be the toughest test of the Broncos’ run defense in quite a while. And Brandon Allen is the biggest unknown you could conceive of for a starting NFL QB.
While a new QB is a breath of fresh air, I agree with Jeff that this is a carnival of errors waiting to happen. - Taylor Kothe
Browns 21, Broncos 17
Brandon Allen is almost surely going to look better in this offense than Flacco but will he actually play better is the question. The Broncos have been really good this year at finding ways to lose and Cleveland knows that their second half schedule is cake and that 9-7 should ease them into the playoffs. The Browns are the more talented team and I think they pull it off in a close one in Denver. - Kevin Gillikin
Broncos win
Call me crazy, but I think the Broncos are going to win, and they’re going to score more than 20 points.
The Browns like to run a lot of wide zone to take advantage of Nick Chubb’s vision and athleticism, but he’s going to get squeezed any time he runs at Von Miller’s side of the field. This will help the D collapse on him. So long as the Broncos can keep him from gashing them too badly, it will force Cleveland to pass to win.
If that happens, I trust Vic Fangio is going to find a way to push Baker Mayfield into his worst tendencies and the defense is going to collect a turnover or two. He’s struggled with reads in a similar way to Flacco prior to his injury. By mixing pre-snap and post-snap looks, he will hesitate and give the rush time to get home.
This is going to be a game decided on the ground for both teams. With a huge question mark at quarterback, the Browns will surely gear up to stop the run, and their run defense has drastically improved over the last two games.
To combat this, Rich Scangarello will need to juggle caution with opportunism. The huge X-factor in every game going forward is obviously the passing offense. The Broncos’ don’t need it to be good and it likely won’t be, they just need it to avoid huge mistakes.
Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon are a vastly underrated edge duo. Bolles and Wilkinson are clearly overmatched, and I dare say I’d have trouble making this pick if it was the old quarterback under center.
I’ve said on Twitter the last few days that I’d be willing to bet Brandon Allen serves as an upgrade over Joe Flacco. I’m sure it looks crazy with some of the reports coming out about his performance on the scout team so far this year, but I think the mystery he’ll present Steve Wilks combined with his mobility will provide Scangarello a chance to hide the line’s biggest issues with more moving pockets and play action.
Through 8 games, the Broncos’ veteran starter would mix a lot of missed receivers and sacks with an exciting throw every blue moon. If we’re lucky, Allen will let it fly a little more. This could lead to a few boneheaded mistakes, but if he’s more willing to give DaeSean Hamilton, Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant and the young receivers a chance? It could serve as a real shot in the arm. Here’s to hoping. - Joe Rowles
Browns 15, Broncos 13
I have a feeling there will be a lot of predictions with similar scores this week. Like I told Ian on the podcast, the defense will have to pitch close to a shutout to win, and I’m not sure that’s possible. The Broncos can’t score, and now their QB is a guy who nobody knows. 15-13 Browns. The defense will allow only field goals. - Adam Malnati
Browns 11, Broncos 9
A quarterback who has never taken a snap in his NFL career is making his first start ... Behind this Denver offensive line ... And, from all accounts, has looked horrible on the scout team. If you play fantasy football, pickup the Cleveland defense. The Broncos do what Adam said is near impossible, hold an opponent to under 13 points, and it’s still not enough. - Ian St. Clair