Final2021 Week 7

Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, OH

Denver Broncos vs Cleveland Browns, Week 7 2021

Denver Broncos

Away

14

Cleveland Browns

HomeWon

17

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Broncos007714
Browns1007017

DEN 14CLE 17 Final

  • Passing leader

    Case Keenum

    CLE · QB

    12.7PPR pts

    21/33, 199 YDS, 1 TD

  • Top fantasy scorer

    D'Ernest Johnson

    CLE · RB

    24.8PPR pts

    22 ATT, 146 YDS, 1 TD, 2 REC, 22 REC YDS

  • Broncos leader

    Javonte Williams

    DEN · RB

    17.2PPR pts

    4 ATT, 20 YDS, 6 REC, 32 REC YDS, 1 REC TD

  • Defensive playmaker

    John Johnson III

    CLE

    1 INT, 3 TKL

Browns 17, Broncos 14: Cleveland holds off Denver

Cleveland led 10–0 at halftime and won 17–14, though Denver took the second half 14–7. The Browns finished with a 376–223 edge in total offense and averaged 5.6 yards per play.

Denver didn't get on the board until the third quarter.

The gap showed up everywhere. The Broncos went 5-for-11 on third down and committed one turnover, while the Browns kept the ball for 36:51 and finished without a giveaway.

Key advantages

  • +1.0 yards/play CLE 5.6 · DEN 4.6
  • +1 turnover margin CLE 0 turnovers
  • +153 total yards CLE 376 · DEN 223

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Browns Won

Cleveland won the efficiency, turnover, third-down, and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Broncos vs Browns
BroncosStatBrowns
4.6Yards per play5.6
1Turnovers0
223Total yards376
Other team stats
49Plays67
45%Third-down conversion60%
23:09Time of possession36:51

Scoring Summary

The Browns scored two touchdowns and one field goal; the Broncos scored two touchdowns.

Scoring plays, Broncos vs Browns
TimeTeamPlayDENCLE
1st quarter
12:20CLEBrowns TD Takes lead06
3:14CLEBrowns FG Extends lead09
2nd quarter
No scoring
3rd quarter
7:52DENBroncos TD69
0:30CLEBrowns TD Extends lead615
4th quarter
5:23DENBroncos TD1215

Fantasy Points: Broncos vs Browns, Week 7 2021

Fantasy leaders

  1. D'Ernest JohnsonCLERB24.8 PTSRB4
  2. Javonte WilliamsDENRB17.2 PTSRB8
  3. Teddy BridgewaterDENQB14.8 PTSQB17
  4. Case KeenumCLEQB12.7 PTSQB19

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Case KeenumCLEQB12.7QB1921/331991047090.3Start/Sit →
Teddy BridgewaterDENQB14.8QB1723/331872123091.4

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
D'Ernest JohnsonCLERB24.8RB4RB22146122220
Javonte WilliamsDENRB17.2RB8RB420076321Start/Sit →
Courtland SuttonDENWR11.8WR31WR———55680Start/Sit →
Melvin GordonDENRB11.2RB25RB818032141
Noah FantDENTE8.9TE17TE———75390Start/Sit →
Jarvis LandryCLEWR8.7WR40WR———85370
Demetric FeltonCLERB6.4RB36RB213033210
Austin HooperCLETE6.2TE23TE———32420Start/Sit →
Odell BeckhamCLEWR4.3WR61WR———62230
Anthony SchwartzCLEWR4.0WR62WR1-2032220
David NjokuCLETE3.8TE30TE———22180
Tim PatrickDENWR3.6WR68WR———52160
Kendall HintonDENWR3.5WR71WR———22150
Harrison BryantCLETE2.5TE37TE———21150
John KellyCLERB1.3RB60RB2130————
Eric SaubertDENTE1.3TE46TE———1130Start/Sit →
Rashard HigginsCLEWR0.8WR93WR———21-20
John BrownDENWR0.0—WR———1000
Tyrie ClevelandDENWR0.0—WR———1000

Fantasy Usage

Denver Broncos

Snap Share

  1. Tim PatrickWR47 snaps94%
  2. Courtland SuttonWR47 snaps94%
  3. Noah FantTE45 snaps90%
  4. Melvin GordonRB29 snaps58%
  5. Kendall HintonWR24 snaps48%

Target Share32 targets

  1. Noah Fant22%, 7 targets
  2. Javonte Williams22%, 7 targets
  3. Tim Patrick16%, 5 targets
  4. Courtland Sutton16%, 5 targets
  5. Melvin Gordon9%, 3 targets
  6. Other16%, 5 targets

Carry Share14 carries

  1. Melvin Gordon57%, 8 carries
  2. Javonte Williams29%, 4 carries
  3. Teddy Bridgewater14%, 2 carries

Cleveland Browns

Snap Share

  1. D'Ernest JohnsonRB49 snaps69%
  2. Austin HooperTE46 snaps65%
  3. Odell BeckhamWR43 snaps61%
  4. Rashard HigginsWR42 snaps59%
  5. David NjokuTE42 snaps59%

Target Share31 targets

  1. Jarvis Landry26%, 8 targets
  2. Odell Beckham19%, 6 targets
  3. Austin Hooper10%, 3 targets
  4. Anthony Schwartz10%, 3 targets
  5. Demetric Felton10%, 3 targets
  6. Other26%, 8 targets

Carry Share31 carries

  1. D'Ernest Johnson71%, 22 carries
  2. Case Keenum13%, 4 carries
  3. John Kelly6%, 2 carries
  4. Demetric Felton6%, 2 carries
  5. Anthony Schwartz3%, 1 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
Tim PatrickDENWR4794%516%0
Courtland SuttonDENWR4794%516%0
Noah FantDENTE4590%722%0
D'Ernest JohnsonCLERB4969%26%22
Austin HooperCLETE4665%310%0
Odell BeckhamCLEWR4361%619%0
Rashard HigginsCLEWR4259%26%0
David NjokuCLETE4259%26%0
Melvin GordonDENRB2958%39%8
Jarvis LandryCLEWR3854%826%0
Kendall HintonDENWR2448%26%0
Harrison BryantCLETE3042%26%0
Eric SaubertDENTE2142%13%0
Javonte WilliamsDENRB2142%722%4
Anthony SchwartzCLEWR2941%310%1
Demetric FeltonCLERB2231%310%2
John BrownDENWR612%13%0
Diontae SpencerDENWR48%00%0
Tyrie ClevelandDENWR48%13%0
John KellyCLERB34%00%2
Andrew BeckDENRB24%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

  • Biggest overperformer+7.3D'Ernest Johnson24.8 PTS vs 17.5 xFP
  • Biggest underperformer−5.8Odell Beckham Jr.4.3 PTS vs 10.1 xFP
  • Highest expected volume17.5 xFPD'Ernest Johnson24.8 PTS scored
Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
D'Ernest JohnsonCLE · RB24.817.5+7.369%67% car—02267%26%
Case KeenumCLE · QB12.717.1−4.4100%33 att—33412%00%
Teddy BridgewaterDEN · QB14.815.8−1.0100%33 att—33214%00%
Javonte WilliamsDEN · RB17.214.4+2.842%29% car—0429%722%
Jarvis LandryCLE · WR8.713.5−4.854%25% tgt—000%825%
Noah FantDEN · TE8.911.8−2.990%22% tgt—000%722%
Melvin Gordon IIIDEN · RB11.210.2+1.058%57% car—0857%39%
Odell Beckham Jr.CLE · WR4.310.1−5.861%19% tgt—000%619%
Courtland SuttonDEN · WR11.88.4+3.494%16% tgt—000%516%
Tim PatrickDEN · WR3.68.4−4.894%16% tgt—000%516%
Demetric FeltonCLE · RB6.46.3+0.131%9% tgt—026%39%
Anthony SchwartzCLE · WR4.05.7−1.741%9% tgt—013%39%
Austin HooperCLE · TE6.25.1+1.165%9% tgt—000%39%
David NjokuCLE · TE3.83.4+0.459%6% tgt—000%26%
Harrison BryantCLE · TE2.53.4−0.942%6% tgt—000%26%
Kendall HintonDEN · WR3.53.4+0.148%6% tgt—000%26%
Rashard HigginsCLE · WR0.83.4−2.659%6% tgt—000%26%
Johnny Stanton IVCLE · RB7.63.0+4.6—6% car—026%13%
Eric SaubertDEN · TE1.31.7−0.442%3% tgt—000%13%
John BrownDEN · WR0.01.7−1.712%3% tgt—000%13%
Tyrie ClevelandDEN · WR0.01.7−1.78%3% tgt—000%13%
John Kelly Jr.CLE · RB1.31.30.04%6% car—026%00%

Team totals: Broncos 32 targets and 14 carries; Browns 32 targets and 33 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Teddy Bridgewater

DEN · QB · 14.8 pts on 15.8 expected

23 of 33 passing for 187 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception; 2 carries for 3 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.8 expected.

Case Keenum

CLE · QB · 12.7 pts on 17.1 expected

21 of 33 passing for 199 yards, 1 touchdown; 4 carries for 7 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 17.1 expected.

Start/Sit: Case Keenum →

Javonte Williams

DEN · RB · 17.2 pts on 14.4 expected

7 targets (22% of the team's), 6 catches for 32 yards and 1 touchdown; 4 carries (29% of the team's) for 20 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 14.4 expected.

Start/Sit: Javonte Williams →

Noah Fant

DEN · TE · 8.9 pts on 11.8 expected

7 targets (22% of the team's), 5 catches for 39 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 11.8 expected.

Start/Sit: Noah Fant →

D'Ernest Johnson Ran hot

CLE · RB · 24.8 pts on 17.5 expected

2 targets (6% of the team's), 2 catches for 22 yards; 22 carries (67% of the team's) for 146 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 17.5 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Jarvis Landry

CLE · WR · 8.7 pts on 13.5 expected

8 targets (25% of the team's), 5 catches for 37 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 13.5 expected.

Trend: Season high in targets (8).

Odell Beckham Jr. Unlucky

CLE · WR · 4.3 pts on 10.1 expected

6 targets (19% of the team's), 2 catches for 23 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 10.1 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Demetric Felton

CLE · RB · 6.4 pts on 6.3 expected

3 targets (9% of the team's), 3 catches for 21 yards; 2 carries (6% of the team's) for 13 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 6.3 expected.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Cleveland Browns

  • Stock up: D'Ernest Johnson played 69% of the snaps, up from a 10% season average.
  • Stock up: Demetric Felton played 31% of the snaps, up from a 10% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Broncos defense and Browns defense
Points allowed toBroncos DBrowns D
QBs15.816.7
RBs21.421.5
WRs29.828.6
TEs8.512.6

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Cleveland opened at 54% win probability and passed 98% in the fourth quarter on the way to the win.

Browns win probability

Browns win probability by game minuteBrowns started at 54%, stood at 85% at halftime and finished at 100%, across 5 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. +17Browns TD54% → 71%Q1 12:20
  2. +8Browns FG72% → 80%Q1 3:14
  3. −21Broncos TD87% → 67%Q3 7:52
  4. +23Browns TD69% → 91%Q3 0:30
  5. −21Broncos TD99% → 78%Q4 5:23

Swing in Browns win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Broncos vs Browns
Denver BroncosMeasureCleveland Browns
49Plays67
71%Pass rate51%
5.2Yds / dropback5.7
2.9Yds / carry5.5
5/11Third downs9/15

Efficiency edge Cleveland ran 18 more plays and gained 0.5 more yards per dropback.

  • Top targets
  • DEN Williams 22% · Fant 22% · Sutton 16%
  • CLE Landry 25% · Beckham 19% · Schwartz 9%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Broncos vs Browns
ResultDENCLE
Touchdowns22
Field goals01
Punts43
Turnovers10
Missed field goals01

CLE turnover edge: +1

  • The Browns opened the scoring on their first possession, a 5-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
  • Denver's first four possessions all ended in a three-and-out or an interception.
  • The Browns drained the clock with two second-half drives of five to eight minutes.
All 16 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
CLEQ1 15:005752:40Touchdown
DENQ1 12:20392:07Punt
CLEQ1 10:1312437:04Field goal
DENQ1 3:096513:16Interception
CLEQ2 14:537274:01Punt
DENQ2 10:52372:15Punt
CLEQ2 8:3713466:47Missed FG
DENQ2 1:50320:48Punt
CLEQ2 1:023-20:39Punt
DENQ2 0:231-30:23End of half
DENQ3 15:0013797:12Touchdown
CLEQ3 7:4813757:21Touchdown
DENQ3 0:27331:00Punt
CLEQ4 14:276163:02Punt
DENQ4 11:2517806:08Touchdown
CLEQ4 5:1710615:17End of game
About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Broncos vs Browns Head-to-Head

The Broncos and Browns first met in 1970 and have played 33 times since.

All-time series
26–7Broncos lead, 33 meetings since 1970
Postseason
3–0Broncos won in 1986, 1987, and 1989
Largest Broncos win
44–102000
Largest Browns win
27–131970

Since 2021

2–1 Broncos lead

3 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. DEN = Broncos win, CLE = Browns win, outlined = this game.

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Broncos vs Browns
BroncosStatBrowns
7-10Record8-9
19.7Points per game20.5
330.5Yards per game340.6
5.4Yards per play5.5
18.9Points allowed per game21.8
326.1Yards allowed per game311.5

Broncos vs Browns Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread
CLE −1.5Browns covered by 1.5
Total
40Under: 31 points scored (by 9)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
TeamImpliedActualDifference
Browns20.817−3.8
Broncos19.314−5.3

Both offenses finished under the market's expectation, which matches the low fantasy output in the Fantasy tab.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Denver Broncos

Against the spread
3–4
Over/under
2–5
ATS as favorite
3–3
ATS as underdog
0–1
ATS on the road
2–2

Cleveland Browns

Against the spread
4–3
Over/under
4–3
ATS as favorite
3–2
ATS as underdog
1–1
ATS at home
2–2

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Broncos and Browns in Fantasy

The two teams don't meet again this season. If you roster a Bronco or a Brown, these answer the week-to-week question.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Broncos vs Browns Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Broncos vs Browns Week 7 game?

The Cleveland Browns beat the Denver Broncos 17–14 in Week 7 of the 2021 season. The game was played at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, OH, on October 21, 2021. See the Browns' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Broncos vs Browns?

The final score was Browns 17, Broncos 14. The Browns led 10–0 at halftime, and the second half went Broncos 14, Browns 7.

What happened in the Broncos vs Browns game?

Cleveland led 10–0 at halftime and won 17–14, though Denver took the second half 14–7. The Browns finished with a 376–223 edge in total offense and averaged 5.6 yards per play. D'Ernest Johnson led all players with 2 catches for 22 yards, plus 22 carries for 146 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Broncos committed 1 turnover, the Browns none.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Broncos vs Browns?

D'Ernest Johnson led the game with 24.8 PPR fantasy points, the RB4 of Week 7, on 2 catches for 22 yards, plus 22 carries for 146 rushing yards and a touchdown. Javonte Williams was next with 17.2 (RB8).

Who led Broncos vs Browns in passing, rushing and receiving?

Case Keenum (CLE) led all passers with 21 of 33 for 199 yards and a touchdown. D'Ernest Johnson (CLE) led in rushing with 22 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown. Courtland Sutton (DEN) led in receiving with 5 catches for 68 yards.

How many fantasy points did D'Ernest Johnson score against the Broncos?

D'Ernest Johnson scored 24.8 points in PPR leagues, 23.8 in half-PPR and 22.8 in standard scoring against the Broncos in Week 7 of the 2021 season, on 2 catches for 22 yards, plus 22 carries for 146 rushing yards and a touchdown. He handled 67% of his team's carries.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Broncos vs Browns?

D'Ernest Johnson outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 24.8 PPR points on 17.5 xFP (+7.3). Odell Beckham Jr. fell furthest short, with 4.3 points on 10.1 xFP (−5.8). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

How did the Browns beat the Broncos?

The Browns beat the Broncos 17–14 because they averaged 5.6 yards per play to 4.6, won the turnover battle 1–0, and outgained them 376–223.

Which team won the turnover battle in Broncos vs Browns?

The Browns won the turnover battle 1–0: the Broncos gave the ball away 1 time and the Browns not at all. The Browns won the game.

What is the all-time Broncos vs Browns record?

The Broncos lead the all-time series 26–7 across 33 meetings since 1970, including a 3–0 record in the postseason.

When did the Broncos and Browns last play before this game?

Before Week 7 of 2021, they last met in the 2019 season on November 3, 2019, when the Broncos beat the Browns 24–19.

Have the Broncos and Browns met in the playoffs?

Yes, 3 times, most recently in the 1989 playoffs. The Broncos are 3–0 against the Browns in the postseason.

What was the closing spread for Broncos vs Browns?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Browns −1.5, making the Cleveland Browns 1.5-point favorites, with a closing total of 40. That implied about 20.8 points for the Browns and 19.3 for the Broncos.

Did Broncos vs Browns go over or under the total?

The game went under. The consensus closing total was 40, and the teams combined for 31 points, 9 under the number.

Who covered the spread in Broncos vs Browns?

The Browns covered by 1.5 against the closing line of Browns −1.5. The final margin was 3 points.