The Broncos lost to the Colts, 29-28, at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday.  

Here are three takeaways from the road defeat. 

Surtain injury scare 

Cornerback Pat Surtain suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter. It took place with about eight minutes left in the second quarter, and Denver was leading 14-13. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year held his left leg in pain and went into the sideline medical tent for several minutes. But he missed only one defensive snap. Surtain returned with a heavily taped ankle for the next series. Defensive end Zach Allen also went down in pain in the first quarter. However, just like Surtain, he returned to play a short time later. The Broncos showed a lot of toughness on defense. 

Defensive woes 

The Broncos didn’t sack Colts quarterback Daniel Jones in the first half. He also threw for 236 passing yards over that span. It was a role reversal from Week 1, when the defense carried a lackluster offense, as quarterback Bo Nix threw three touchdown passes on Sunday to give Denver a 21-20 lead at halftime. Give credit to a Colts offense that has beautifully adapted its scheme to fit rookie Tyler Warren’s NFL-ready skillset. But defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s unit struggled early to find answers in another impressive outing for Jones. The Colts came out with an excellent game plan. 

Franklin breakout 

The training camp hype was real. Second-year wide receiver Troy Franklin is becoming a favorite passing target of Nix. Franklin closed the game with eight catches for 89 yards and one touchdown. He also showed toughness and strength, battling for yards after contact and shedding arm tackles. It’s clear that the Oregon Ducks chemistry he shares with Nix is paying off after Franklin struggled last season at times as a rookie. Franklin’s growth is a credit to the culture and vision established by general manager George Paton. Franklin slid to the fourth round in the 2024 NFL draft. Paton made a smart pick.