Nik Bonitto’s defensive touchdown was amazing, while Jonathan Taylor’s failed touchdown run was surprising.
Bonitto ruined a trick play by stepping in front of quarterback Anthony Richardson and intercepting Adonai Mitchell’s lateral pass. He then ran 50 yards for a touchdown that helped the Denver Broncos secure a 31-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
The game turned around in the third quarter due to a mistake by Taylor. Indianapolis’ star running back dropped the ball just before crossing the goal line on what should have been a 41-yard touchdown.
“That can’t happen,” Taylor said, who finished with 107 yards but no touchdowns on 22 carries. “No, you’re never consciously aware you’re dropping the ball. Otherwise, you wouldn’t do it.”
The mistake gave the Broncos new energy, with their special teams and defense stepping up to support an offense that only managed 193 yards.
“If he would have scored that touchdown, it would have been even more of a dogfight to get back,” said Denver pass rusher Jonathon Cooper. “We would have had a tougher fight. … I just hope it never happens to us.”
Denver’s defenders were disappointed as they walked off the field, but the fans suddenly started cheering. Safety P.J. Locke looked up and saw the replay on the big screen, realizing the Broncos had been given a chance.
Instead of the Colts going for the extra point to take a 20-7 lead, the touchback meant the Colts were only ahead by six points, which they soon lost.
“That was a game changer, yeah, absolutely,” said Colts coach Shane Steichen. “Obviously, it hurt us, but he’s one of our leaders. Sometimes that happens in football, but he’s our guy, and that’s what you say to him.”
With five takeaways, the Broncos (9-5) ended a seven-year stretch of losing seasons and moved closer to securing an AFC wild-card spot, which would break a playoff drought that started in 2016. That was the last time they were four games above .500, during their Super Bowl 50 title defense.
The Colts (6-8) lost their 10-0 lead and missed a big chance to stay in the AFC wild-card race. Taylor’s mistake and Bonitto’s play were the main reasons.
Denver had just taken its first lead of the game with Bo Nix’s 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nate Adkins, making it 17-13, when Bonitto scored his second touchdown in as many games.
Bonitto, who had a pick-6 against Cleveland before the Broncos’ bye week, was in full stride when he intercepted Mitchell’s pass at midfield and ran all the way to the end zone untouched.
The play was officially recorded as a fumble recovery, not a pick-6, because it was a backward pass. Regardless of the term used, Cooper said it was the boost the Broncos needed.
“Man, I love playing with this dude,” Cooper said. “His football instincts are off the charts. He’s a phenomenal football player. He’s got my vote for Defensive Player of the Year.”
Mitchell said his coach had told him to throw the ball away if he saw the Broncos reading the trick play, but he didn’t realize Denver had figured it out.
“It was there pretty much until 15 turned into Ed Reed and just came through out of nowhere,” Mitchell said.
Denver’s five takeaways helped make up for Nix’s first three-interception game of his rookie season.
One of Denver’s interceptions was by cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who limped off the field with a sprained right ankle. He returned to the game but had to be helped off the field near the 2-minute warning after aggravating the injury.
He left the stadium without speaking but wasn’t wearing a walking boot, which was a positive sign as the Broncos prepare for their next game with a short week.
Denver’s scoring began with Wil Lutz’s 44-yard field goal, which pulled the Broncos to within 13-10, and ended with Nix’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton.
