Following the Cleveland field goal, the Denver offense began its second possession of the game from its own 20-yard line.
Running back Knowshon Moreno picked up 8 yards on the first play, and quarterback Peyton Manning and wide out Demaryius Thomas picked up right where they left off on the last drive as they connected for a 6-yard first down.
Completions to wide receiver Eric Decker and tight end Joel Dreessen helped Denver work its way to midfield.
The reception by Dreessen was his 37th catch of the season, giving the tight end a new career high in that category.
From the Cleveland 29-yard line, an offensive holding penalty backed the Broncos up to the 39, where they began the second quarter.
Facing a first-and-20, Moreno ran the ball twice and then caught a pass, picking up 14 yards to give Manning and the offense a manageable third-down situation, needing 6 yards to move the chains.
Denver got the 6 yards and a few more, as Manning hit Decker – their second first-down connection of the drive – for a 14-yard pick up to the Cleveland 11-yard line.
Following a short run and an incomplete pass, the Broncos took their first timeout of the half before a third-and-9 play from the 10-yard line.
The timeout worked, as Manning hit wideout Eric Decker in the back of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown, capping off a 15-play, 80-yard drive that absorbed 6:55 of clock.
Manning is 12-of-14 for 120 yards and two touchdowns — good for a passer rating 142.0.
The score and extra point conversion made the score 14-3 Broncos with 12:40 left in the second quarter.
Decker caught two first downs and a touchdown – his 10th of the season — on the drive. He (33) and Thomas (67) have combined for 100 yards receiving in the game.
Tags: Cleveland Browns, Gameday Coverage, Week 16