Former scout's takeaways from the Browns' Week 13 loss to the Broncos

The Browns turned in another entertaining performance in a prime-time game but came out on the wrong side against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. This game was an offensive explosion for the Browns with Jameis Winston having a career night (until the end), and Jerry Jeudy balling out in his return to the Mile High City.

So where do the Browns go now? They are still mathematically alive in the playoff race but realistically, the season is done. The rest of the 2024 season will be an ongoing evaluation for the current roster, and a few good performances down the stretch could solidify a spot for next season.

Takeaways From a Former Scout:

Jameis Winston needs to be re-signed

Once again the Browns got the full Jameis experience, but last night had a different feel. Utilizing the passing attack was the game plan this week and Winston showed he still can sling the ball very well. He finished 34/58 for 497 yards, 4 TDs, and 3 INTs. He's strung together two impressive performances in a row which should be rewarded with a new contract. The pick-sixes were killer, obviously, but if the Browns re-sign Winston and give him a full offseason as the starter this team will be in the playoff race in 2025.

Jerry Jeudy shines in return to Denver

Jeudy also had a career night in Denver, catching nine balls for 235 yards and a 70-yard touchdown. That performance is what the Broncos were hoping for when they selected Jeudy with the 15th overall pick in the 2020 draft. He consistently got open against man coverage and was a big-play machine when Denver sat back in zone. Once again, Jeudy and Winston had a strong connection. it's too little, too late for 2024 but the confidence these guys are playing with should be a ray of hope for Browns fans.

Nick Chubb could not get going

It was another tough night for Nick Chubb who rushed nine times for 21 yards and added two receptions for 24 yards and a touchdown. The Broncos, like the Steelers last week, are a tough run defense but the ground game was a slog all night long. The Browns did have success running outside but Jerome Ford got most of those carries. Chubb is still working back from the major knee injury last season and the offensive line struggled to open up holes between the tackles, but Browns coaches, scouts, and fans would love nothing more than to see him rip off a 100+ yard game.

What happened to the defense?

This was a completely different-looking unit than last week against Pittsburgh. The Browns were able to move Bo Nix around in the pocket but produced no sacks against a Denver offensive line that is average in pass protection. The defensive line was soft against the run which prevented the linebackers from aggressively following the ball.

MJ Emerson looked slow and was taken advantage of by Denver receivers. Denzel Ward was the only one who came to play last night, but the team needs more than that. Jim Schwartz built the best defense in the NFL last season, but this year has been way too much of a roller coaster for him to feel comfortable going into the offseason.

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