Russell Wilson threw for a touchdown and rushed for another to lift the host Denver Broncos to a 29-12 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Wilson threw for just 134 yards but added 34 more on the ground. Samaje Perine rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown for the Broncos (6-5), who recorded their first five-game winning streak since the 2015 season.
Denver rushed for two touchdowns in the first 18:49 of Sunday’s game after finding the end zone on the ground just once in its previous 10 games.
Cleveland rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 134 yards and added his first career passing touchdown before exiting late in the third quarter with a concussion after a high hit from Denver linebacker Baron Browning.
P.J. Walker replaced Thompson-Robinson and completed 6 of 13 passes for 56 yards for the Browns (7-4), who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt.
Courtland Sutton’s 31-yard reception ultimately set up Perine’s 3-yard rushing touchdown to open the scoring with 8:18 remaining in the first quarter. Perine’s first rushing touchdown of the season capped a nine-play, 80-yard drive.
Wilson atoned for a fumble in the first quarter by doubling the advantage early in the second. The 34-year-old followed up a 19-yard scamper by going 2 yards off right tackle into the end zone to give Denver a 14-0 lead.
Cleveland settled for a pair of field goals by Dustin Hopkins before tight end Harrison Bryant snuck out of the backfield and caught Thompson-Robinson’s short pass to bring Cleveland to within two at 14-12 with 6:42 remaining in the third quarter. Amari Cooper, however, dropped what would have been a game-tying two-point conversion attempt.
Wil Lutz drilled a 23-yard field goal and D.J. Jones recovered a fumble on Elijah Moore’s botched attempt at a reverse. Denver took advantage early in the fourth quarter as Wilson found tight end Adam Trautman just inside the pylon for an 8-yard touchdown.
Lutz added a 34-yard field goal and Zach Allen sacked Walker in the end zone for a safety to cap the scoring.
–Field Level Media
