DENVER – Linebacker Nik Bonitto foiled a trick play by stepping in front of quarterback Anthony Richardson and hijacking Adonai Mitchell’s lateral pass, then ran 50 yards for a touchdown that sealed the Denver Broncos’ 31-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday .

With five takeaways, the Broncos (9-5) cemented their spot in the AFC wild card, ending a playoff drought dating back to 2016. They began their defense of their Super Bowl 50 title this season with a 4-0 start was the last time they were four games over .500.

The Colts (6-8) squandered both an early 10-0 lead and a great opportunity to tighten the AFC wild card race.

A big reason was running back Jonathan Taylor’s turnaround error, which dropped the ball milliseconds before it crossed the goal line for what would have been a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Instead of setting up for the extra point to give the Colts a 20-7 lead, the touchback left the reeling Colts clinging to a six-point lead that they would soon relinquish – in a big way.

Denver had just taken its first lead of the game on a 15-yard touchdown toss from Bo Nix to tight end Nate Adkins, making the score 17-13, when Bonitto scored his second touchdown in two games.

Bonitto, who had a pick-6 against Cleveland before Denver’s bye week, was in full swing when he caught Mitchell’s pass – which was officially recorded as a fumble recovery because it was a reverse pass.

Denver’s defense was determined to make amends after allowing Jameis Winston to throw for nearly 500 yards two weeks ago, and they had five takeaways that more than made up for Nix’s first three-interception game of his rookie season .

One of Denver’s interceptions came by cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who hobbled to the sideline tent with a sprained right ankle. He returned to the game but was helped off the pitch just before the two-minute warning after the injury appeared to worsen.

The Broncos’ scoring spree began with Wil Lutz’s 44-yard field goal, which put Denver up 13-10 after the teams traded turnovers on consecutive plays.

Adkins’ TD gave the Broncos the lead for good, Bonitto had his defensive touchdown and Nix threw a 20-yard TD pass to Courtland Sutton after the Colts’ neutral zone violation on a field goal breathed new life into Denver’s drive had.

Richardson completed just five of 17 passes for 56 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in the first half, for a paltry 16.3 passer rating. And one of those completions was to himself – and in his own end zone after Jonah Ellis blocked his throw. Still, the Colts took a 13-7 lead into the locker room.

The Colts converted twice on third-and-10 and took a 7-0 lead when Richardson raced around the right side for a 23-yard touchdown run on the game’s first drive.

Denver’s first drive ended when linebacker Zaire Franklin intercepted Nix’s pass, leading to a 37-yard field goal by Matt Gay and a stadium-quiet 10-0 lead.

Nix hit a 13-yard dart to tight end Adam Trautman to make it 10-7, but in the final five minutes of the first half the Broncos scored twice and set up Anthony Gould’s 36-yard punt return across midfield the ball in front of Gay for a 49-yard field goal that gave Indianapolis a six-point lead at halftime.

Both AFC wild card contenders had a bye week and looked more rusty than rested.

The Colts outgained the Broncos 122 yards to 32 in the first quarter, but managed just 34 yards in the second quarter when they went 0 for 4 on third down. The Broncos managed a meager 93 yards of offense in the first half

Inju

Ries

Colts WR Alec Pierce suffered a concussion in the final seconds of the second quarter when rookie Kris Abrams-Draine, starting in nickel in place of Levi Wallace, hit Pierce while breaking up a pass in the end zone with 10 seconds left.

Broncos RG Quinn Meinerz (shoulder) and RB Jaleel McLaughlin (hamstring) both left late in the third quarter. Surtain was injured in the fourth round, as was DT DJ Jones (finger).

Next

Colts: Host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Broncos: Visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL