DENVER — The Denver Broncos went with math over a gut feel Saturday night, and many of their faithful left the 17-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns talking about a fourth-and-1 the team didn’t go for in the closing minutes as the Broncos dropped to 6-8 and on the brink of official postseason elimination.
With 4 minutes, 39 seconds remaining, trailing 17-13 and with a fourth-and-1 on the Cleveland 6-yard line, Broncos coach Vance Joseph sent kicker Brandon McManus out for a field goal as the boos cascaded down from the stands.
“I wanted points there,” Joseph said. “Had about 4:35 to go in the game, we had one timeout and the two-minute warning. I trust our defense to get a stop there, OK. If we don’t get points there, a touchdown has to win it. It was my decision, take points.”
McManus made the 29-yard field goal — after a delay of game penalty — and the Broncos did indeed get the ball back after their defense eventually stopped the Browns deep in Denver territory, but the Broncos couldn’t move the ball past the 50-yard line to kick a game winner.
Broncos quarterback Case Keenum said he was confident the Broncos could have converted the fourth-and-1, but added he was angry he didn’t get the offense in position for the game winner after the Broncos got the ball back.
“Yes, I felt confident [the Broncos would have converted the fourth down],” Keenum said. “I wanted to convert third down, that’s what I wanted to do. [Joseph] felt like the defense would get a stop and [we would] get the ball back and they did. They got a stop and we got the ball back, I can’t complain, I had the ball in my hands with a chance to win the game. That’s all you can ask for.”
Joseph said “absolutely” the Broncos’ back-to-back runs for just 2 yards and no gain on the two plays before the field goal influenced the decision.
“Absolutely, the third-down play didn’t look great and we had points,” Joseph said. “Again, I trust our defense to get a stop the next drive and we did … hoping we get a stop there and get the ball back.”
While the Broncos’ defense did hold on a Browns fourth-down play on the next Cleveland possession, that stand came at Denver’s 13-yard line after Browns running back Nick Chubb had gained 53 yards on six carries on the drive. That total included a 40-yard run on the first play of Cleveland’s drive.
“That last drive, what was it, 75 yards rushing?” Broncos linebacker Von Miller said. “We can’t allow that.”
The Broncos were able to go from their own 13-yard line in five plays to earn a first-and-10 at the 50-yard line with 52 seconds to play. Joseph said he believed the Broncos needed to get to the Cleveland 42-yard line, at minimum, for McManus to have a chance at a game winner.
Keenum spiked the ball on first down and threw two incompletions to give the Broncos a fourth-and-10 from the 50. Keenum took a low snap in the shotgun and was swarmed under by the Browns rush for a sack to end the Broncos’ chances.
“I’m still pretty emotional about it,” Keenum said. “Man, that’s what I dream about, man, that’s what I want, I want the ball in my hands with a chance to win the game … to get that close, it pisses me off … Lot of anger at myself, there’s some plays I could make that I didn’t.”
Source : ESPN
