Cleveland
Browns
0-0
31
FINAL
28
Denver
Broncos
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling season opener, the Cleveland Browns narrowly defeated the Denver Broncos 31-28, kicking off the 2027 season with a dramatic clash that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Both teams showcased their offensive prowess, but it was the Browns who ultimately secured the win with a late-game drive that sealed their victory.
Quinshon Judkins was the standout performer for Cleveland, rushing for an impressive 214 yards and finding the end zone once, providing a powerful ground game that kept the Broncos' defense on their toes. Denver's Bo Nix had a strong performance as well, throwing for 308 yards and four touchdowns, connecting frequently with Troy Franklin, who racked up 127 receiving yards. The offensive fireworks from both teams highlighted their potential for the season ahead.
Defensively, the Broncos struggled to contain the Browns' rushing attack, while Zach Allen's three sacks showcased his disruptive presence in the backfield. However, the game-changing moment came in the fourth quarter when Cleveland's defense made a critical stop, forcing a turnover on downs that allowed the Browns to take control and ultimately secure the win. With both teams displaying their strengths, this matchup sets the stage for an exciting season to come.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bo Nix | QB | 21 | 10 | 48% | 308 | 4 | 0 | 133.4 |
| Shedeur Sanders | QB | 18 | 10 | 56% | 84 | 0 | 0 | 67.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinshon Judkins | HB | 22 | 214 | 9.7 | 39 | 3 | 63 | 0 |
| RJ Harvey | HB | 4 | 19 | 4.8 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | — | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Shedeur Sanders | QB | 3 | 12 | 4.0 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Evan Stewart | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jerry Jeudy | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troy Franklin | WR | 3 | 127 | 42.3 | 74 | 2 | 67 | 0 |
| RJ Harvey | HB | 3 | 116 | 38.7 | 117 | 1 | 80 | 0 |
| Jaylen Waddle | WR | 1 | 62 | 62.0 | 3 | 1 | 62 | 0 |
| Quinshon Judkins | HB | 3 | 27 | 9.0 | 21 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Denzel Boston | WR | 2 | 26 | 13.0 | 10 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| KC Concepcion Jr | WR | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Benjamin Brahmer | TE | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | — | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Harold Fannin Jr | TE | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | — | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Jerry Jeudy | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Adam Trautman | TE | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Courtland Sutton | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Evan Engram | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Allen | DT | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jared Verse | REDG | 2 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Von Miller | LEDG | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja'Quan McMillian | SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | WILL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kelee Ringo | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ty Benefield | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Surtain II | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyngston Villiamu-Asa | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jahdae Barron | CB | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Talanoa Hufanga | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kris Abrams-Draine | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kayvon Thibodeaux | LEDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carson Schwesinger | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Ward | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Grant Delpit | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cameron Jordan | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Wright | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Troy Andersen | SAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Maliek Collins | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tyson Campbell | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Emmanuel McNeil-Warren | FS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wil Lutz | K | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Jeremy Crawshaw | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charlie Smyth | K | 1 | 1 | 4 | 20 |

