The Broncos starters may indeed be done with their gameday work of the preseason, but they still have more than a few questions waiting for answers with the Sept. 9 regular-season opener in Buffalo looming.

As a result the Broncos were not able to shove their way past the Cleveland Browns, with a 17-16 loss in Invesco Field at Mile High. The regulars are not scheduled to play Thursday night in the Broncos (1-2) preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals.

But there will be no hiding from the fact there is plenty of things still remaining on the to-do list.

"We've got a lot of work to do,'' Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "As you can see we're not there yet.''

The Broncos defense, which has been a sluggish thus far to implement Jim Bates' scheme, surrendered 196 yards in the first half alone to a Cleveland Browns offense that has struggled elsewhere throughout the preseason. They also allowed Browns' starting quarterback Charlie Frye to put together his first touchdown drive of the preseason.

The Browns opened the game with an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive finished by Jamal Lewis' 1-yard touchdown run. It was the only touchdown drive the Browns have put together in three preseason games with either of their top two quarterbacks currently on the depth chart — Frye or Derek Anderson — in the game, now a 1-for-19 tally.

The Browns also put together a 13-play, 75-yard field goal drive late in the first half. Book-ended in between all that the Broncos had another smattering of missed tackles, a few receivers left open to run free to go with their four first-half sacks.

"We had some good situations, some bad situations,'' said Broncos defensive tackle Sam Adams. " . . . We'll be there when it comes to play in Buffalo.''

Offensively the Broncos, playing without running back Travis Henry (left knee) and guard Ben Hamilton (concussion) had a few of their own problems early on. Quarterback Jay Cutler fumbled a snap on the team's first play from scrimmage, his fourth pass was batted down and he threw an interception — it was quickly nullified by a Browns penalty — on his fifth pass attempt.

The Broncos, however, did snap things together somewhat with 1 minute, 55 seconds remaining in the first half when Cutler moved the team 80 yards in seven plays, finishing the drive with a 2-yard touchdown toss to fullback Kyle Johnson that tied the game, 10-10.

Cutler was 4-for-4 on the drive for 44 yards. The Broncos were also aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on Browns defensive tackle Shaun Smith, who twisted Cutler's legs as he got up to finish off a 6-yard Cutler run.

The Broncos starters exited the game in the third quarter. Patrick Ramsey followed Cutler with Brian Clark and Domenik Hixon working at the two wide receiver sports with the offense's second team took the field.

The Browns took a 17-10 lead with 1:19 remaining in the third quarter when rookie Brady Quinn, who hit seven of his first eight passes for 81 yards, finished a three-play Cleveland drive with a 20-yard scoring pass to Joshua Cribbs.

The Broncos, on a 9-yard run by Selvin Young, closed to within 17-16 with 2:56 to play in the game. Shanahan elected to then go for the win and avoid a preseason overtime, but Young did not score on a run up the middle.

"I felt great after the touchdown, but that brought me right back down,'' Young said. "I was hoping to get in.''

The Broncos players will be off Sunday and return to the practice field Monday.

Etc.: Henry, in a report published in Saturday's Atlanta Journal and Constitution was ordered Friday by a DeKalb (Ga.) County court to pay $3,000 a month in child support to a boy Henry fathered three years ago. According to the report Henry, who court records in the case showed has nine children by nine women, must fund a $250,000 trust for the child by next spring. Henry did not want to comment earlier this week when an Arlington, Texas, based collection agency had contacted another person in the Denver area named Travis Henry looking for the running back and threatening a warrant would be served of a significant debt was not settled in a "timely fashion.'' Henry signed a $25 million deal with the Broncos in March. He was not available after the game . . . With rosters set to go to 75 players by Tuesday afternoon, the Broncos are expected to make at least some of their roster moves Sunday . . . The Broncos distributed 75,361 tickets for the game, with 69,952 actually in the stadium for the game . . . Quinn hit Joe Jurevicius in the endzone for a pass that was ruled incomplete in the third quarter. Browns coach Romeo Crennel did not challenge the play and Phil Dawson missed the ensuing field goal. However, replays showed that Jurevicius appeared to get both feet in bounds on the sideline for what would have been a score . . . Broncos linebacker Nate Webster said following the game it was a "done deal'' that he would be the starter at strong side linebacker to open the season.

legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2359.