Cleveland Browns alternative universe: 5 outcome-altering plays against Denver Broncos

LOS ANGELES — The Browns game at the Denver Broncos ended up a one-sided affair. There's no other way to call a 29-12 game anything but that.

Except that, if you were to dig into the actual game, there was a pathway to where the outcome could've been different. It may not have necessarily meant the Browns got out of Denver with a win, but they might not have ended up getting run out of the stadium.

The final score said the Browns suffered their second double-digit loss of the season. Let's look at five plays during the course of the game that, had they gone another way, could've shifted the outcome substantially.

Naturally, you could do this for any game. However, with the Browns needing every win they can get while in the AFC playoff battle, a game like Sunday's in Denver is one they will look back and wonder "what if" if they don't play past the regular-season finale.

Harrison Bryant's fourth-down fumble

The most comfortable and consistent Dorian Thompson-Robinson looked over the first three quarters on a specific drive wasn't one that ended in a score. Except that it could've had this play not happened.

Thompson-Robinson's second possession was the definition of getting a rookie quarterback comfortable in a road environment. A short pass to David Njoku for 5, a short one to Cedric Tillman for 10 and a short one to Amari Cooper for another 5 had the Browns out to their own 45.

The Browns eventually found themselves in third-and-1, where they ran what was a tried-and-trusted short-yardage play of lining up tight end Harrison Bryant under center and snapping him the ball. And it was going to work, except center Ethan Pocic was called for a false start, making it third-and-6.

After Thompson-Robinson found Tillman for 5 yards after the penalty, the Browns had fourth-and-1 at their 49. They again lined Bryant up under center, where he then dropped the snap and the Broncos recovered.

Denver didn't score after the turnover because the Browns got their own takeaway when Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah stripped Russell Wilson on a fourth-down quarterback run. However, the Browns also didn't get any points, which proved big.

Amari Cooper's dropped 2-point conversion pass

The Browns had two red-zone possessions in the first half that ended up in field goals, not touchdowns, which is why they trailed the Broncos 14-6 at halftime. There were a couple of plays that were borderline to join this list, particularly on the last first-half drive when a pass to David Bell was deflected by Denver's Mike Purcell and it appeared either Elijah Moore or Tillman ran the wrong route and ended up in the same area on a fade route.

However, they at least got points, which gave them a chance to turn their first second-half possession into a potential game-tying drive. In fact, it should've been a game-tying drive, especially after Thompson-Robinson passed to Bryant for a touchdown.

That went out the window, though, when typically sure-handed Cooper didn't come up with the 2-point conversion pass. Thompson-Robinson's throw was a bit low to Cooper, but he had the ball in his hands and couldn't hold onto it.

So instead of being a whole new ballgame at 14-14 with 6:42 remaining in the third quarter, the Browns remained in a deficit. They didn't get any closer after that, although they still had chances.

David Njoku's dropped first-down pass in third quarter

The Browns defense got an assist for the Broncos not turning the missed 2-point conversion into a two-possession game. On third-and-goal from the 2, the defense swarmed Samaje Perine for a 3-yard loss, leading Denver to settle for the field goal and a 17-12 lead.

After a touchback on the kickoff, the Browns started their next drive at their own 25 with 1:25 left in the third. On the very first play, Njoku lined up in a traditional tight end spot on the left end of the line and ran a 10-yard crossing pattern.

Njoku got leverage on the multiple Broncos defenders who were in his vicinity by the time Thompson-Robinson delivered a pass that hit him right in the hands. And, then, the pass fell to the ground after he bobbled it for a second.

The tight end had cleared free of the defense, and had a lot of open grass in front of him. It may not have gone for a touchdown, but Njoku was at least getting into Broncos territory.

The butterfly effect of that is more than just on the scoreboard. Two plays later, Thompson-Robinson was knocked out of the game on a hit by Baron Browning, which led to the play that truly altered the course of the game.

Elijah Moore and Pierre Strong botch the reverse

On the first play of the fourth quarter — the second play after Thompson-Robinson was knocked from the game — the Browns handed the game to Denver. If they don't do that, hey, there's still a chance.

The play in question was second-and-7 from the Browns 41. P.J. Walker was in at quarterback, with Moore lined up as a sidecar to his right.

Walker handed the ball to Moore, who was running left. Pierre Strong Jr., who lined up in the slot to the left, was coming back around toward the right.

At the moment when Moore was supposed to pitch the ball to Strong, they saw Denver nose tackle D.J. Jones deep in the backfield. Moore still got rid of the ball to Strong, who couldn't pull it in with Jones in his vicinity.

The ball squirted free, and Jones eventually recovered it at the Browns 20. Coupled with the final play on the list, that was the final nail in the Browns coffin.

Adam Trautman's third-down touchdown catch after review

The Browns defense was literally inches from having survived their offense's giveaway and keeping Cleveland within a touchdown and a 2-point conversion of the Broncos. Those inches were in the spaces between where tight end Adam Trautman landed with Wilson's 8-yard touchdown pass with 13:29 remaining.

Trautman's sliding catch was originally ruled incomplete by the official standing nearby. However, Broncos coach Sean Payton challenged the ruling.

On review, Trautman was awarded the catch, which he made with just blades of green grass between him and the sideline. That made it 24-12 Denver.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns alternative universe: 5 outcome-altering plays against Broncos