The correct answer is "both."
The incentive for head coach Sean Payton's crew members to play their best was obvious from the outset. A triumph would guarantee the Broncos' first winning season since 2016 and dramatically improve their chances of a playoff berth despite an ultra-challenging closing schedule in front of them that includes the Chargers, Bengals and Chiefs. And while the Colts have had some moments this season, their fortunes were yoked to the performance of quarterback Anthony Richardson, whose supreme athletic gifts are paired with obvious deficits — such as a seeming inability to complete more than 50 percent of his passes.
Nonetheless, the Broncos came out of their locker room with all the ferocity of an out-of-shape dude toward the end of his first hot yoga session. The vaunted Denver D gave up two third-and-longs during the Colts' initial possession, including a fifteen-yard run by Jonathan Taylor that made the unit look like matadors standing behind a red cape. And that was before Richardson made a 23-yard dash to the end zone to establish a 7-0 lead.
Nix countered with a drive that started out well before ending catastrophically by way of an interception thrown directly to Zaire Franklin, who definitely wasn't wearing an invisibility cloak. Indy turned that gaffe into another three points.
The Broncos responded a short time later with a touchdown of their own thanks to Nix's best drive of the day, but then surrendered another field goal just before halftime as a result of terrible play-calling by Payton and lazy special-teams play that resulted in a 36-yard punt return by Anthony Gould.
Denver's 13-7 hole seemed likely to deepen in the third quarter thanks to another Nix pick that demanded an emergency call to an optometrist and a Jonathan Taylor burst for an apparent TD. But instant replay showed Taylor had actually dropped the ball a nanosecond before crossing the goal line, negating the score — a turn of events that instantly earned the running back a nomination to the Showboating Idiots Hall of Fame.
Somehow, the Broncos didn't transform this gaffe into points. On their next possession, Nix threw a third interception, apparently because he forgot what color uniform he was wearing (that's as good an explanation as any). But the Colts collapsed shortly thereafter, giving up a fumble that led to a field goal and then allowing a 61-yard punt return by Marvin Mims that eased the path to a go-ahead touchdown.
Then came the coup de grâce: a failed Indianapolis flea flicker that ended up in the hands of Denver's Nik Bonitto, the squad's breakout defensive star, who took the ball to the house and celebrated by energetically grabbing his crotch. The penalty he received for his Billy Squier-worthy stroking was worth every yard.
The contest was over at that point, but Nix added a third touchdown toss anyhow, to equal his number of giveaways. Still, he managed to throw for only 120 yards on 33 attempts. That calculates to just 3.9 yards per hurl — digits that definitely won't make his rookie-of-the-year campaign any easier to justify. Without the defense stepping up in the second half, and the Colts' incredible largesse, that W could easily have turned into the campaign's most inexcusable L.
Payton and company won't have to wait long to prove that their latest performance was an anomaly: They're slated to battle the Chargers in Los Angeles on Thursday in a game whose post-season implications have only grown larger. Maybe that's why fans who took to X after the final whistle blew seemed uncertain whether to laud the Broncos' resilience or admit that good fortune's smirk had somehow turned into a smile. See what we mean below:
Number 20:
The defense is saving our ass! Wake up offense!!
— @TMT WILLIS (@deajon1829) December 16, 2024
Number 19:
Horrible Broncos offense. Got lucky from Colts turnovers.
— William Mitchell (@southdenver82) December 16, 2024
Number 18:
Talk about how your defense is bailing out your mid ass rookie.
— Õ”Ö€Õ«Õ½ (@KrispLaKreme) December 16, 2024
Number 17:
I'm so proud of my Broncos this the first time in 8 years where they shut me the fuck up when I'm bitching
— T-R-E-V (@T_R_E_V_O_R_C_J) December 16, 2024
Number 16:
Sure but that doesn't mean that the Broncos were good. They won't be so lucky against a team like Buffalo or Pittsburgh
— Nate (@ColtsguyNate) December 16, 2024
Number 15:
Was a reason Sean went conservative. Bo threw 3 awful picks and we still won by 18. Love what we’ve seen from Bo, he’s had an insanely impressive stretch. But he was actively costing us this game. Wasn’t his day but ST and defense stepped the fuck up. 3 phase game.
— BroncosBinge (@BroncosBinge) December 16, 2024
Number 14:
"no name Broncos defense" ... of course Surtain already had a name, but after doing this, Bonitto will become a *household* name, nationally. He raised his personal stock 1000x by doing this. https://t.co/vYGge8AnT9
— PoissonDistribution (@PoissonianDist) December 16, 2024
Number 13:
But are the Broncos lucky too?
— Ryan Garoutte (@TheRealGaroutte) December 16, 2024
Number 12:
Facts, so does bo nix, broncos defense is crazy tho
— Jalen(@Tengu_Otaku) December 16, 2024
Number 11:
Bo Nix had an ugly game, but what I love about this Broncos offense and defense, is that they NEVER GIVE UP. Broncos are one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and man have they been a breath of fresh air to watch.
— cryptomeg (@cryptomeg_33) December 16, 2024
Number 10:
Broncos are so back we got Chiefs level luck today 🥹 https://t.co/LsazpGgjVT
— Denver Fanatic (@FanaticDenver) December 16, 2024
Number 9:
Did he call the best game today in the biggest stakes game for the broncos since 2016? No. And you can't brush that off that easily. Our season would be COOKED if it wasn't for our defense today.
— db4L (@uzzzzzzi24) December 16, 2024
Number 8:
I LOVE BEING A BRONCOS FAN. FUCK YALL WHO SAID WE WAS GON BE ASS
— ECSTATIC BRONCOS FAN BOLIEVE (@__jaytm) December 16, 2024
Number 7:
Nix definitely had a super off day but the defense picking up the slack is what exactly makes the Broncos a good team.
— Dave (@David15193079) December 16, 2024
Number 6:
I love the Broncos winning like this. We knew Nix was going to have struggles. The running game isn't clicking. Etc etc. They won with special teams and defense. Great teams win no matter what. Look at the Chiefs
— Jacob S. (@milehigh9798) December 16, 2024
Number 5:
imagine we had the offense of the denver nuggets and the defense of the broncos
— Joon Nam (@hyunjoon_nam) December 16, 2024
we merge the two franchises and play in both leagues
Number 4:
No-the Broncos team and him has been playing way over their head. Luck runs out at some point
— DobyRaider Slava Ukraine (@DobyRaider) December 16, 2024
Number 3:
The Broncos have had their fair share of bad luck too…..
— Rational (@rational_please) December 16, 2024
Number 2:
Luck? The fuck you mean luck?
— Broncos Country pain in my side (@BroncosIn94156) December 16, 2024
Number 1:
At halftime I changed the Broncos hoodie I was wearing to my lucky Broncos T-shirt. I'm never going to take this T-shirt off.
— Boliever (@broncosbebad) December 16, 2024
