MERILATT MONDAY NEWS: SPORTS COMMENTARY

Weird, fluky win leaves the Broncos with a lot to prove despite record

Dec 16, 2024, 4:00 AM | Updated: Dec 17, 2024, 2:00 pm

The Broncos are on the verge of clinching a playoff berth for the first time since the 2015 season, thanks to a 31-13 victory over the Colts on Sunday. And they’re still a total mystery.

Denver’s 9-5 record suggests that they’re a pretty good team. An 18-point victory over a team that is chasing them for a wild-card berth would send the same message.

But are they? Is this team any good?

On Sunday, they certainly weren’t on the offensive side of the ball. In the game, the Broncos had just 193 yards of total offense and posted just 13 first downs. Bo Nix threw for only 130 yards and tossed three interceptions.

How on earth did Denver put 31 points on the scoreboard? The other two phases stepped up. And Indianapolis was inept in so many ways.

After Nix opened the second half with an interception, Colts running back Jonathon Taylor ripped off a 40-yard touchdown run that was going to put his team ahead 20-7. Given the way the Broncos were sputtering on offense, a two-touchdown lead looked like a big hole to dig out of for Denver. But then, the inexplicable happened.

Taylor dropped the ball as he crossed the goal line, celebrating prematurely. It bounced out of the side of the end zone, resulting in a touchback and giving the Broncos the ball. And giving them new life.

Denver went on to outscore Indianapolis 24-0 after the blunder. But it wasn’t because they were prolific on offense.

The go-ahead touchdown came on a two-play, 15-yard drive. It was set up by a 61-yard punt return by Marvin Mims.

On the Colts ensuing drive, they tried a trick play. It was intercepted by Nik Bonitto, who ran the fumble recovery back for a 50-yard touchdown.

The Broncos final touchdown came on a 35-yard drive, set up by a Pat Surtain interception. An offsides penalty against the Colts on Denver’s field-goal attempt also aided the scoring march.

That’s 50 yards of offense, resulting in 21 points. A 20-7 deficit turned into a 31-13 victory.

Crazy. Wacky. Wild.

All of those descriptions are appropriate. And they make for a fun day at Empower Field. But they also make it difficult to figure out what to make of the Broncos.

Were they good on Sunday? Or were the Colts simply awful?

It’s hard to answer. Penalties, turnovers and an mind-boggling miscue did in Indianapolis. As did many errant passes from quarterback Anthony Richardson.

That’s not to take anything away from Denver’s win. They made plays when the opportunities arose. But it’s hard to use the victory as evidence that the Broncos are a legit playoff team.

They’ll be in the postseason. That’s almost a certainty at this point, as Sean Payton’s team now has a 94 percent chance of earning a wild-card spot.

But do they belong? Can they compete? That remains to be seen.

The Broncos nine victories have come against the NFC South, Raiders (x2), Jets, Browns and Colts. That’s not exactly an impressive resume. Those teams are a combined 39-84. Only the Buccaneers have a winning record.

Denver can only play the teams that are on their schedule. And beating all of the bad teams that are on their docket is certainly nothing worthy of an apology.

But the reality is that the quality of the wins does make the Broncos a mystery. It makes them nearly impossible to figure out.

Are they as good as the other teams in the playoff picture? Losses to the Chargers, Chiefs, Ravens, Seahawks and Steelers would suggest that they aren’t.

Sunday did nothing to solve the riddle. But answers are coming.

On Thursday night, Denver will be in Los Angeles. A win over the Chargers, on the road and during a short week, would send a message; it would quiet the naysayers.

A loss would only heighten the concerns, however. Games against the Bengals and Chiefs to wrap up the regular season would loom large.

It’s not wrong to question the validity of the Broncos at this point. They’re glossy record has the appearance of being a bit inflated.

Is Denver a fraud? That’s a bit of an overstatement.

But Sunday’s win over the Colts reeked of being fluky. It didn’t feel like a sustainable recipe.

The Broncos still have a lot to prove. And that starts on Thursday night.

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