DENVER — When Rigoberto Sanchez's fourth-quarter punt dropped out of the sky and settled in Marvin Mims Jr.'s arms, the Broncos had yet to hold a lead.
In a critical matchup in the AFC wild-card race, Denver trailed the Colts through the first three quarters and faced a deficit since the opening drive of the game.
Mims was about to do his part to change that.
The Pro Bowl returner caught the ball at his own 24-yard line and escaped an initial tackle attempt from Colts cornerback Chris Lammons. He then worked his way diagonally across the field before he turned the corner just before the Denver 40-yard line. Mims dodged a Sanchez tackle attempt at the Indianapolis 40-yard line and cut back from the sideline at the 30-yard line before finally being dragged down at the 15-yard line.
Two plays later, tight end Nate Adkins was in the end zone to secure a lead that the Broncos would not relinquish en route to a 21-point fourth quarter and a 31-13 win over the Colts.
"Dude is a playmaker," defensive end John Franklin-Myers said. "You put the ball in his hands, he's going to do what he does."
All Mims did was to change the game and give Denver's offense — which had struggled to maintain drives and score points — another crucial opportunity.
Mims posted a 27-yard return to the Indianapolis 39-yard line earlier in the second half, but Colts cornerback Nick Cross undercut quarterback Bo Nix's third-down pass to Courtland Sutton to thwart the drive. Mims also recorded a 9-yard return that was aided by an unnecessary roughness call for a late hit.
"I tell him all the time — those plays, those hidden yards, somebody that didn't watch the game, they're not going to see that highlight, but anybody that's tapped into the game and really watches it and wants to understand what's going on in the game will understand him doing that," Sutton said of Mims. "Even if it's 10 yards, it's such a big momentum change for us."
And even though the Broncos' offense didn't score points on those drives, the returns did help flip the field and keep the action on Indianapolis' end of the field.
Both of those returns, though, paled in comparison to the dynamic 61-yard return that set up the go-ahead score from Nix to Adkins.
"He's an exciting guy with the ball in his hands," Sutton said, "and watching him go down the sidelines a couple times today, it's exciting because at any moment you know that he could take it to the crib. It gives us that switch. We were kind of struggling moving the ball consistently and for him to go and get us those hidden yards and for us to be able to capitalize on them is huge."
Mims admitted his returns rely on "a lot of instinct" and that he often takes a punt return in a different direction than the scheduled call. During his long return Sunday, he directed linebacker Drew Sanders to block a specific Colts defender as he turned the corner and raced toward the red zone.
"I think with punt return, we know how good we are and how we're at the top of the league at it, and we have a lot of confidence in that unit," Mims said. "Just be able to get an opportunity, it goes good for us almost every time. Those guys are really into it, they clean it up a lot for me to make a play."
And at a time in the game where the Broncos had just three first downs over their last seven drives, Mims made a game-changing — and potentially season-changing — play.
"He's been in the backfield, the slot, out wide — and obviously his calling card has always been in the return game," tackle Mike McGlinchey said. "He's been so vital for us not only this year, but last year making the Pro Bowl as a rookie for returning. That gave us a spark tonight and we needed it. Our defense and special teams gave us a lot of help. Marvin had two or three returns that really changed the game."
