4 things we can definitively say about the Broncos following huge win over Browns

The Denver Broncos were able to dispatch of the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, winning 29-12 in a game in which they took an early 14-0 lead, dealt with the Browns getting back into it, and then made some key plays down the stretch to pull away.

With the win, the Broncos improved to 6-5 on the season and are now firmly in the thick of the playoff race, a statement that would have seemed unbelievable a month ago.

Now that the team has completely reversed its fortunes and turned the season around, a handful of things can be said about this team with a high degree of certainty.

Broncos are getting exactly what they need out of Russ

Russell Wilson is not putting up big numbers, but he doesn't need to. He only threw for 134 yards in this game, but he makes plays when plays need to be made. It was also nice to see Russ using his mobility in this one as he also rushed for 34 yards.

On one play, Wilson pulled the ball back on an RPO play and took off toward the end zone, nearly scoring on the play. That was a refreshing sight for Broncos fans as the deal for Wilson has been highly criticized since it was made.

There are arguments to be made on either side as to what the Broncos do in the future at the quarterback position but as of right now, the leader of the team is being the leader of the team and he has been fantastic this season.

Broncos running game can take them places

As the Broncos have embarked on this tremendous turnaround, one of the biggest keys to their resurgence has been the running game. That was evident again on Sunday, as they racked up 169 yards on the ground against Cleveland, the league's No. 1 defense coming into the game.

Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine ran the ball effectively in this game and the Broncos had two rushing touchdowns. Coming into the game, they had just one rushing touchdown on the season.

Much like the way Russell Wilson is doing things, it's not pretty, it's not flashy. But this running game is focused and Williams looks like he did in his early days with the team, powering through tackles and carrying defenders for extra yardage.

If you have followed professional football for any good length of time, you know that it is often said that teams that go the furthest in the playoffs are the ones that develop a strong running game and play sound defense.

So, what about the defense?

Broncos defense is suddenly legit

It's extremely difficult to believe that this is the same defense that gave up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins earlier this season.

Since then, the Broncos moved on from veterans Randy Gregory and Frank Clark and benched a struggling Damarri Mathis. Since then, it looks like a completely different team.

This Broncos defense is not getting after the quarterback and forcing key turnovers. The team turned the Browns over three times on Sunday and since the team began this winning streak, no number has been bigger than the one it has created in turnover differential.

It now looks like one of the league's best defensive units, even if it lacks multiple recognizable stars. If the team can get away from so many personal foul penalties (though granted there were some horrendous calls against them in this game), it will be even better.

Finally, every Broncos fan's favorite punching bag, Vance Joseph, suddenly deserves a ton of credit for the job he is doing.

The Denver Broncos are officially the hottest team in the league

The Broncos have won five games in a row. They have done that by beating the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. They have done that by shutting down a red-hot Minnesota Vikings team and they have done that by scoring 29 points against the No. 1 defense in the league.

There will be naysayers, and that is fair. This team will hear about how the Bills beat themselves and penalties gave the Broncos that win. They will hear about how the Vikings and Browns were playing with backup quarterbacks. While all of that may be true, winning games in the NFL is still no easy feat.

Now, the Broncos have won five in a row — tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the most in the league — and that is building the kind of momentum and the kind of belief within the locker room that this team can become a force down the stretch this season.

If the Broncos keep following the formula that has gotten them to this point and they keep stacking up victories, they are going to be a hard team to beat regardless of which team is on the other side of the field.