Denver returns from a bye week for a visit from the Cleveland Browns, who are back in front of a national audience to wrap up Week 13 on Monday night.
The Broncos (7-5) can keep themselves squarely in the wild-card picture with a victory Monday before Denver dips into the bye week.
Cleveland is without left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee), safety Juan Thornhill (calf) and wide receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion) have all been ruled out.
That means another test of the Browns’ depth, with defensive lineman Sam Kamara (head) and cornerback Myles Harden (tibia) also set to miss the game.
For the Broncos, only cornerback Riley Moss is their only player ruled out on the injury report.
Can the Browns overcome the injuries in enemy territory on the road?
–Misleading box score in Browns’ recent victory
Cleveland gifted Pittsburgh three turnovers in Week 12, yet the Steelers still couldn’t take advantage and the AFC North leaders lost 24-19 in further proof Thursday division games are Mike Tomlin’s weakness.
Pittsburgh even won the time-of-possession battle, controlling the ball for 35 minutes. The Browns seemed to benefit from snowy conditions, as they were the team more willing to take risks.
They converted all four of their fourth-down attempts, leading to three touchdowns in four red zone trips.
Cleveland is down to its No. 3 quarterback and parted with top wide receiver Amari Cooper at the trade deadline.
Extra time works against the Browns because it just might soften them up to think that they’re better than they actually are.
Even with Jameis Winston stepping in at the quarterback spot to boost the offense, the Browns have yet to put up consistent back-to-back performances.
Cleveland is 0-2 this season when coming off a win, losing by an average of 11.5 points. Sandwiched between Winston’s two victories are also two double-digit losses.
–Prop stop: Courtland’s Street
Courtland Sutton’s recent run of production has been stellar, and the Browns are likely to pay extra attention to Bo Nix’s top target.
Over the last five weeks, Sutton is first in the NFL among wide receivers with 467 receiving yards and fourth with 36 receptions. He’s the go-to option on third down and in the red zone for Nix.
He has at least six receptions in five consecutive games.
Prop pick: Sutton 6+ receptions +110 (DraftKings)
–Broncos’ defense ready to feast on Monday night
Reports indicate ownership expects head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry back next season. That was expected considering they’re just months into long-term contract extensions.
The message to players, what with a 3-8 record and being far closer to a top draft pick than a playoff spot, is mixed.
The Broncos have the fourth-best defense per FTN Fantasy’s Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) metric.
They also rank fourth in stopping the run and sixth against the pass. With the Browns starting left tackle sidelined, they’ll need to pay close attention to protecting Winston’s blind side. Broncos head coach Sean Payton knows Winston well from their days together in New Orleans and, before that, when Winston started for the Buccaneers in the same division.
Denver leads the league in sacks with 44, and Cleveland’s offensive line has allowed the second-most sacks (47). When Winston’s process is sped up, he tends to gift the ball to opposing defensive backs.
In part because of the turnover issues, my power ratings make the Browns closer to an eight-point underdog on the road.
Some are still dangling the Broncos at -5.5 on Monday morning. I recommend laying the points with the home side.
Best Bet: Broncos -5.5 (-122 at FanDuel)
