Broncos hang on vs. Browns, win Allen's NFL debut

Brandon Allen was 12-for-20 passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns in his NFL debut, and the host Denver Broncos beat the Cleveland Browns 24-19 on Sunday. Phillip Lindsay rushed for 92 yards and a score on just nine carries, Noah Fant had three catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, and Courtland Sutton had 56 receiving yards and a score for the Broncos (3-6).

Baker Mayfield was 27 of 42 for 273 yards and a score, Jarvis Landry had six receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown, and Odell Beckham Jr. caught five passes for 87 yards for Cleveland (2-6). Austin Seibert kicked four field goals for the Browns, who have lost four straight. Allen got his first touchdown pass when he lofted a ball to the right side of the end zone to Sutton, who caught it over cornerback Denzel Ward for a 21-yard score and a 7-0 lead at the 6:09 mark of the first quarter.

The Browns got on the board with Seibert's 39-yard field goal early in the second quarter, but Denver answered quickly. On the next offensive snap, Allen hit Fant on a crossing pattern off play-action, and the rookie tight end broke three tackles on his way to a 75-yard touchdown. Seibert hit two more field goals, from 30 yards and 27 yards, Brandon McManus kicked one from 43 yards, and Seibert hit a 30-yarder with 15 seconds left in the half to make it 17-12.

The Browns drove deep into Denver territory late in the third quarter and went for it on fourth-and-1 from the 5, but Mayfield was stuffed short on a QB sneak. The Broncos took over and went 95 yards in seven plays, capped by Lindsay's 30-yard touchdown run to make it 24-12. Cleveland responded with a big drive, going 76 yards in nine plays as Mayfield found Landry for a 9-yard TD catch to make it 24-19.

The Browns stopped Denver on the next drive and moved to the Broncos 25, but Mayfield's pass on fourth-and-4 from the 28 with 3:26 remaining was incomplete. The Broncos ran out the clock with a 16-yard Lindsay run leading up to the two-minute warning. Cleveland tight end Ricky Seals-Jones suffered a knee injury after catching a pass late in the second quarter and didn't return.