The banged-up Cleveland Browns celebrated a huge 17-14 win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. The win not only helped the Browns snap a two-game losing streak but also kept their playoffs hopes alive in a crowded AFC North.
Having several key players out due to injuries, including starting quarterback Baker Mayfield and primary running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, the Browns had to rely on backups to step up and keep them competitive. This was especially the case with back D’Ernest Johnson, who had a monster performance in his first NFL start.
Johnson, who worked on a fishing ship just several years ago, exploded for 146 yards on the ground and one rushing touchdown on 22 carries. He also had two catches on two targets for 22 receiving yards. This was the first major action on offense for the 25-year-old since he joined the Browns in 2019 as he previously mostly handled special teams duties.
“It’s unexplainable,” said Johnson after the game. “I wanted to celebrate, but I didn’t know what to do. It’s been a long journey.”
Veteran Case Keenum also had a solid outing, seeing his first action as a starter in almost two years. Keenum took care of the ball and avoided turnovers while being reliable when called upon. He completed 21 passes out of 33 he attempted while throwing for 199 yards and a touchdown. The 33-year-old also made one huge play with his legs, managing to get the Browns a new set of downs after they decided to go for 4th&3 deep in Denver’s half.
There might be a while before Browns get their key players back, but at least the team now can be more relaxed about it knowing they have other guys who can step in and make a difference.
Cleveland is now 4-3 for the season and is sitting third in its division. The Broncos, on the other hand, have dropped four after starting the season 3-0 and are at the bottom of AFC West.
