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Broncos Rally with 5 Key Takeaways to Defeat Colts 31-13 and Edge Closer to Playoff Spot
DENVER (AP) — Linebacker Nik Bonitto made a game-changing play by intercepting a lateral pass from Adonai Mitchell intended for quarterback Anthony Richardson, sprinting 50 yards for a touchdown that helped the Denver Broncos secure a 31-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.With five key takeaways, the Broncos (9-5) solidified their chances of claiming an AFC wild-card spot, potentially ending a playoff drought that has lasted since 2016. The last time they were four games above .500 was during their Super Bowl 50 title defense season, when they began with a strong 4-0 record.The Colts (6-8) squandered an early 10-0 lead and missed a crucial opportunity to narrow the AFC wild-card race. A pivotal moment came when running back Jonathan Taylor dropped the ball just before reaching the end zone, negating what would have been a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Instead of extending their lead to 20-7 with an extra point, the Colts found themselves clinging to a six-point advantage that quickly evaporated.Denver took its first lead of the game with Bo Nix's 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nate Adkins, putting them ahead at 17-13 right before Bonitto scored again. He had previously recorded a pick-six against Cleveland and was in excellent form as he intercepted Mitchell's backward pass, which was officially ruled as a fumble recovery.The Broncos' defense aimed to redeem itself after allowing nearly 500 passing yards two weeks prior and delivered impressively with five takeaways, compensating for Nix's first three-interception game of his rookie season. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II contributed with an interception but limped off after aggravating an ankle injury late in the game.Denver’s scoring began with Wil Lutz’s 44-yard field goal that closed the gap to 13-10 following consecutive turnovers from both teams. After Adkins’ touchdown gave Denver its lead, Nix threw another touchdown pass—this time a 20-yarder to Courtland Sutton—after benefiting from a neutral zone infraction by the Colts during what should have been a field goal attempt.Richardson struggled significantly in the first half, completing just five of his 17 passes for only 56 yards and recording no touchdowns along with one interception, resulting in an abysmal passer rating of 16.3. Remarkably, one completion even involved him catching his own deflected pass in his own end zone. Despite this poor performance, Indianapolis led at halftime with a score of 13-7.The Colts initially surged ahead by converting on two critical third-and-10 plays; Richardson capped off their opening drive with a dynamic 23-yard touchdown run. However, after Nix’s initial interception led to Matt Gay’s stadium-silencing field goal that put Indianapolis up by ten points at 10-0, Denver clawed back into contention with Nix connecting on a short touchdown throw to Adam Trautman.Both teams entered this matchup coming off bye weeks but appeared more out of sync than refreshed. The Colts outpaced Denver offensively in the first quarter but faltered considerably in the second period without gaining any momentum on third downs.Injuries also played a role in this contest, as Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce suffered a concussion late in the second quarter after being struck while trying to catch a pass in the end zone. Denver faced setbacks too; guard Quinn Meinerz and running back Jaleel McLaughlin left due to injuries late in the third quarter alongside Surtain and defensive tackle D.J. Jones sustaining injuries during action.