DENVER — Ja’Quan McMillian returned an interception 44 yards for a game-sealing touchdown with 1:48 remaining, and the Denver Broncos spoiled career-best performances by Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, beating the Browns 41-32 on Monday night.
Winston threw for a franchise-record 497 yards and four touchdowns, while Jeudy had nine catches for 235 yards — the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team — and a TD. Jeudy played his first four seasons with Denver and was booed every time he caught the ball.
“Came up short,” Jeudy said. “Got to find a way to finish, find a way to win.”
Winston’s electric night included three picks, two of which were returned for TDs. Nik Bonitto took one 71 yards to the house late in the second quarter. Winston became the first NFL quarterback to throw for 400 or more yards with four or more TD passes and two pick-sixes.
Bo Nix finished with 294 yards passing, including a gorgeous deep ball from his own end zone that Marvin Mims Jr. hauled in for a 93-yard touchdown. Nix also threw two picks.
The Broncos (8-5) enter their bye week in the seventh and final playoff spot. Denver has a 76% probability of making the postseason, according to the NFL. The team hasn’t been in the playoffs since winning the Super Bowl after the 2015 season.
“It wasn’t perfect, by any means, but we were able to finish,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.
Winston surpassed the Browns record of 457 yards set by Josh McCown in 2015 against Baltimore. He threw a 70-yard TD pass to Jeudy and a pair of scores to tight end David Njoku in falling to 2-3 as a starter for the Browns (3-9) since replacing the injured Deshaun Watson.
Cleveland led 32-31 on Winston’s 5-yard TD pass to Nick Chubb when Nix drove the Broncos to the Browns 9. On fourth-and-1, Payton lined up to go for it but changed his mind after a timeout. Wil Lutz kicked a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 2:54 remaining.
Winston and the Browns had plenty of time to drive for a winning score, but Winston’s throw to Elijah Moore was late and McMillian jumped the route. He fell to the turf untouched after making the catch, got up and sprinted to the end zone.
“The fact they did it twice was kind of crazy,” Nix said of the interception returns. “I’m over there sitting, the benches, have the heaters over there, and I don’t even have to move. It’s pretty nice for the offense when they bail us out like that.”
Jeudy, a first-round draft pick in 2020, was traded to Cleveland this spring after an up-and-down four seasons with Denver. He paused at the goal line before falling backwards into the end zone on his long TD catch. He also caught a 2-point conversion to get the Browns within 28-25.
“We had a plan going into it in terms of trying to get him open. I thought the plan was solid,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Jerry executed the plan really well. Got him open. Jameis made some throws. It’s hard in the losing effort to feel good about anything.”
The play by Jeudy came just 11 seconds after Nix threw a laser from about 4 yards deep in his end zone to Mims at around the 42. Mims caught it in stride, raced to the end zone and jumped into the stands to celebrate.
The Broncos relied on their running game in the first half, with Javonte Williams and Michael Burton scoring short TDs. It was Burton’s second TD of his 10-year career.
The Browns fell to 4-13 in the Mile High City. Dustin Hopkins missed a 47-yard field goal to the left on Cleveland’s opening drive.
Nix, who’s earned the NFL Rookie of the Week three consecutive times, threw his first interception since Nov. 3. Chased by Myles Garrett, Nix tried to force a pass to Tony Franklin over the middle. Denzel Ward reached in and deflected the ball into the air and it was caught by Greg Newsome II.
Winston and Jeudy got rolling early with a 44-yard completion on the Browns’ first offensive play.
Winston delivered a fiery pregame oration to his teammates, yelling, “It’s got to come from your heart. I don’t care about no Mile High. I care about how the Browns get down.”
Broncos: WR Jamari Thrash (shoulder) left the game. … CB Denzel Ward (calf) and S Grant Delpit (head) were both off the field on Denver’s late drive for the go-ahead field goal.
Broncos: S Brandon Jones suffered a groin injury.
Browns: At Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Broncos: After a bye, host Indianapolis on Dec. 15.
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