The Broncos haven’t nailed down a playoff berth just yet, but it looks like their long drought is about to come to an end.
After falling behind the Colts 13-7 in the first half, the Broncos were the only team to score in the second half. The 31-13 win moves them to 9-5 on the season and a win over the Chargers next weekend will guarantee them their first postseason berth since they won Super Bowl 50 in February 2016.
The Broncos have their special teams and defense to thank for the turnaround. Wide receiver Marvin Mims returned a punt 60 yards to set up a Nate Adkins touchdown catch that gave the Broncos their first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing drive, the Colts tried a trick play that called for wideout Adonai Mitchell to throw the ball back to quarterback Anthony Richardson behind the line of scrimmage. Edge rusher Nik Bonitto stepped in front of the ball and returned it for a 50-yard score that completely flipped the game.
Bonitto also scored against the Browns a couple of weeks ago and his knack for big plays is one of many things to like about a Broncos defense that has been one of the thorniest to deal with in the entire league. It wasn’t their only big play in the second half.
Broncos safety P.J. Locke also forced a fumble by Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in the third quarter and the Colts gave the ball away on their own earlier in the second half. Running back Jonathan Taylor broke loose for what should have been a 41-yard touchdown run, but he chose to drop the ball before breaking the plane of the end zone and the ball went out of bounds for a Broncos touchback.
One negative for the Broncos popped up late in the game when star corner Pat Surtain II injured his ankle, although he was able to walk off with help from trainers. Defensive linemen D.J. Jones and Malcolm Roach also picked up injuries that will be monitored during the week.
The Taylor score would have put the Colts up by 13 points and both turnovers came after the Indianapolis defense picked off passes by Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. Those missed opportunities were too much for the Colts to overcome and their playoff hopes are almost extinguished after falling to 6-8 on the season.
If they are going to have a better fate in 2025, they will need to find a way to increase quarterback Anthony Richardson’s accuracy. He showed off his athletic ability on a 23-yard touchdown run in the first half, but he was 17-of-38 for 172 yards and threw interceptions in both halves of the loss.
