DENVER (AP) \u2014 Jameis Winston had a night to remember \u2014 and one to forget.<\/p>\n
Ja\u2019Quan McMillian returned an interception 44 yards<\/a> for a game-sealing touchdown with 1:48 remaining, and Denver spoiled career-best performances by Winston and former Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy<\/a> in beating the Cleveland Browns 41-32 on Monday night.<\/p>\n The good for Winston: He threw for a franchise-record 497 yards<\/a> and four touchdowns.<\/p>\n The not-so-good: He tossed two interceptions that Denver returned for scores. The Broncos had three picks for 171 interception return yards against him.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was my fault,\u201d Winston said. \u201cI\u2019ve got to play better.\u201d<\/p>\n It was fully reminiscent of his best \u2014 and worst \u2014 year in 2019 with Tampa Bay, when he led the NFL in yards (5,109) and was second in TD passes (33) but also led the league in picks (30).<\/p>\n \u201cI know I\u2019m better than this,\u201d Winston said. \u201cI\u2019m just praying for the Lord to deliver me from pick-6s. That\u2019s not me. Phenomenal game on offense, do some great things, but I mess it up.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Jeudy had nine catches for 235 yards \u2014 the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team \u2014 and a TD. Jeudy, who played his first four seasons with Denver, was booed every time he caught the ball.<\/p>\n \u201cThey only boo you,\u201d Jeudy said, \u201cwhen they know there\u2019s something great in you.\u201d<\/p>\n Nik Bonitto intercepted Winston and took it 71 yards to the house<\/a> late in the second quarter. Winston became the first NFL quarterback to throw for 400 or more yards with four or more TD passes and two pick-6s.<\/p>\n Bo Nix finished with 294 yards passing, including a gorgeous deep ball from his own end zone that Marvin Mims Jr. hauled in<\/a> for a 93-yard touchdown. Nix also threw two picks.<\/p>\n The Broncos (8-5) enter their bye week in the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC. Denver has a 76% probability of making the postseason, according to the NFL. The team hasn\u2019t been in the playoffs since winning the Super Bowl after the 2015 season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t perfect, by any means, but we were able to finish,\u201d Broncos coach Sean Payton said. \u201dBig plays \u2014 the game was full of them.\u201d<\/p>\n Winston surpassed the Browns record of 457 yards passing set by Josh McCown in 2015 against Baltimore. He threw a 70-yard TD pass to Jeudy<\/a> and a pair of scores to tight end David Njoku<\/a> in falling to 2-3 as a starter for the Browns (3-9) since replacing an injured Deshaun Watson.<\/p>\n Cleveland led 32-31 on Winston\u2019s 5-yard TD pass to Nick Chubb when Nix drove the Broncos to the Browns 9. On fourth-and-1, Payton lined up to go for it but changed his mind after a timeout. Wil Lutz kicked a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 2:54 remaining.<\/p>\n Winston and the Browns had plenty of time to drive for a winning score, but Winston\u2019s throw to Elijah Moore was late and McMillian jumped the route. He fell to the turf untouched after making the catch, got up and sprinted to the end zone.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact they did it twice was kind of crazy,\u201d Nix said of the interception returns. \u201cI\u2019m over there sitting, the benches have the heaters over there, and I don\u2019t even have to move. It\u2019s pretty nice for the offense when they bail us out like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Jeudy, a first-round draft pick in 2020, was traded to Cleveland this spring after an up-and-down four seasons with Denver. He paused at the goal line<\/a> before falling backward into the end zone on his long TD catch. He also caught a 2-point conversion to pull the Browns to 28-25.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a plan going into it in terms of trying to get him open. I thought the plan was solid,\u201d Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said. \u201cJerry executed the plan really well. Got him open. Jameis made some throws. It\u2019s hard in the losing effort to feel good about anything.\u201d<\/p>\n The play by Jeudy came just 11 seconds after Nix threw a laser from about 4 yards deep in his end zone to Mims at around the 42. Mims caught it in stride, raced to the end zone and jumped into the stands to celebrate.<\/p>\n The Broncos relied on their running game in the first half, with Javonte Williams and Michael Burton<\/a> scoring short TDs. It was Burton\u2019s second rushing TD of his 10-year career.<\/p>\n The Browns fell to 4-13 in the Mile High City. Dustin Hopkins missed a 47-yard field goal to the left on Cleveland\u2019s opening drive.<\/p>\n Nix, who has earned the NFL Rookie of the Week three consecutive times, threw his first interception since Nov. 3. Chased by Myles Garrett, Nix tried to force a pass to Tony Franklin over the middle. Denzel Ward reached in and deflected the ball into the air and it was caught by Greg Newsome II.<\/p>\n Winston and Jeudy got rolling early with a 44-yard completion on the Browns\u2019 first offensive play.<\/p>\n \u201cThat wasn\u2019t supposed to go to me,\u201d Jeudy explained. <\/p>\n Pregame speech<\/p>\n