DENVER — In a game full of big plays, the Broncos' defense came up with three of the biggest.
Denver recorded three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, in a back-and-forth "Monday Night Football" victory over the Cleveland Browns.
And while Head Coach Sean Payton noted that the performance "was not perfect by any means," the execution in the game's most critical moments was enough to get the job done and push Denver to 8-5 as the team now heads into a Week 14 bye.
"Obviously, when we go back and look at that tape, we are going to look at a lot of things defensively that we would have done differently," Payton said following Monday's win. "We have to. We had two interceptions for touchdowns and a third interception. I told them in the locker room that it was not pretty, and yet in the end, we did what we had to do, especially late."
With the Broncos leading by just two points in the fourth quarter, and the ball in the hands of quarterback Jameis Winston, it was cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian who took advantage of the moment and made a key play.
Cleveland's offense was moving the ball downfield after Winston overcame a Jonathon Cooper 8-yard sack. After connecting with wide receiver Elijah Moore for a 14-yard gain on third-and-12, Winston looked to the receiver again — but the throw never got there. McMillian jumped up to make an impressive catch, and after falling on his back, got back on his feet and returned the ball 44 yards for Denver's second pick six of the night.
Quarterback Bo Nix, who said the team was "just trying to close [the game] out any way possible," said the play came at the perfect moment — and was a testament to the work McMillian has put in throughout the year to prepare for those kinds of opportunities.
"He's made plays like that all year, constantly," Nix said. "Just [one] impressive play after another. He's a really good player. Really good in the slot, covers tough matchups, and he makes plays like that."
McMillian, who recorded his second interception of the season, said he felt a big moment coming for him late in the game, and when it did, he was ready to capitalize on the opportunity.
"I just kept telling the guys, 'I'm going to make a play,'" McMillian said. "I just felt it all game. When you see your teammate make another play, you want to make a play as well."
McMillian said this motivation came, in part, from watching outside linebacker Nik Bonitto record the team's first pick six of the day late in the second quarter. Bonitto gave the Broncos a double-digit lead when he intercepted Winston's pass and returned the ball 71 yards for a touchdown. With the game-changing play, Bonitto became one of just two players in the last 20 years to have double-digit sacks and a pick six of at least 70 yards in a season. Bonitto also noted that the play marked his first touchdown since his senior year of high school.
"I've been trying to tell people, I used to play safety back in the day, and people are surprised," Bonitto said, laughing. "[I'm] just trying to do my job. When I saw a chance to break on the ball, I kind of just went and did that."
While the game featured four lead changes and several momentum swings, safety P.J. Locke said that the defense had "ultimate faith" in their ability to get the job done in the fourth quarter, noting that it was just a matter of execution.
And as inside linebacker Cody Barton added Denver's third takeaway of the day with an interception in the end zone to officially seal the victory, that execution was on full display. For Cooper, the performance was just one highlight in a season's worth of key moments that illustrate the toughness and resilience of the unit.
"I just feel that it is the work that we put in," Cooper said. "You know, hard work always prevails and stuff like that. It's about being ready and being in shape at the end of the game. When it comes to the third and fourth quarter, you have to go harder. I know everybody on the team feels that, and we did that."
The resilience of the defense — which Payton said was huge in helping the team earn the victory — now sends Denver into its bye week with extra motivation to close out the final weeks of the season strong.
"It's just the toughness," Bonitto said. "Not only our defense, but the [whole] team. When need be, no matter what the situation is, we're going to find a way to win. And that's what we did."