Denver Broncos’ P.J. Locke and Tremon Smith celebrate a fmble recovery during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
In a game that somebody had to win, the Denver Broncos overcame three Bo Nix interceptions on Sunday for a high-stakes win over the Indianapolis Colts.
The Broncos stifled Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson and were gifted a pair of massive Colts blunders en route to a 31-13 victory.
The Colts were in control of the game in the third quarter and had an opportunity to take a 20-7 lead. But running back Jonathan Taylor made an unforced error that sparked a spiral for the Colts that could ultimately cost them a shot at the playoffs.
With 12:43 remaining in the third quarter, Taylor took a handoff and broke free for what looked like a 41-yard touchdown run. But as he approached the goal line, he casually dropped the ball out of his right hand.
Officials initially called the run a touchdown. But upon replay review, they determined that he dropped the ball just short of the goal line. The ball then bounced into the end zone and out of bounds for a touchback.
Instead of a touchdown to give the Colts an 20-7 lead, the result of the play was a touchback and turnover to give the Broncos back the ball, trailing 13-7. The Colts didn’t score again.
And they sealed their fate with a stunning failed trick play in the fourth quarter.
With the Broncos leading, 17-13 early in the fourth quarter, Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson took a shotgun snap on second-and-7. He threw a lateral to Adonai Mitchell in the backfield. Mitchell then threw the ball directly back toward Richardson on a modified flea-flicker. Only, he didn’t find Richardson
Instead, Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto stepped in between and snagged the ball at the 50-yard line. Bonitto then sprinted untouched to the end zone for a touchdown to extend the Broncos lead to 24-13.
It was the second disastrous play of a game with significant implications for the wild-card race in the AFC.
The Broncos entered the game at 8-5 and in control of the final playoff spot in the AFC. The Colts started the day at 6-7 as the first team on the outside of the playoff bubble. A win for the Colts would have put them firmly in play for that final wild-card spot with games remaining against the Titans, Giants and Jaguars, three of the worst teams in football.
Instead, they fall to 6-8, three games behind a 9-5 Broncos team that is now in firm control in the AFC wild-card race.