Broncos player snuck in a career highlight during win vs. Packers

Sometimes, the most unlikely and unexpected players come through in the most clutch moments in the NFL. The Denver Broncos experienced it firsthand on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

The Broncos had to create their offensive gameplan without rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant, who had been really coming on over the last month or so. With Bryant sidelined for a week with a hamstring injury, it was going to be up to the other guys on the 53-man roster to step up in his place.

And the Broncos also called upon veteran receiver Michael Bandy, essentially a "lifer" on this team's practice squad and a guy who barely ever plays any regular season snaps, despite being one of the longest-tenured players on the team at this point. It was Bandy who caught the first touchdown pass of the game from Bo Nix, in a shocking turn of events.

Michael Bandy scores first career touchdown in Broncos win vs. Packers

This was one of the coolest stories of the week that probably won't get much -- if any -- attention at all. Bandy wasn't on anyone's fantasy football roster going into this weekend. He wasn't even really on the radar of Broncos Country going into this game.

If anything, everyone was hopeful that we would see the debut of recent practice squad signing Elijah Moore, who had a game against the Broncos last year in which he caught eight passes for 111 yards (the shootout vs. the Browns).

Sure enough, Bandy provided the first touchdown of the game, and it came on a 3rd-and-3 where Bo Nix maneuvered away from the pass rush and found the open receiver on a great play. Bandy did the rest.

In this game, Nix threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers. Bandy caught the first, then Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Courtland Sutton, and Troy Franklin all got in on the action. It was the first game with multiple passing touchdowns for Bo Nix since the team's win against Houston on November 2.

He was locked in.

And how cool is it that Bandy made such a big impact on the game? It wasn't like he was out there for every single snap for the offense, he just maximized his opportunity. And that's the mentality of this entire Broncos team. When your number is called, do your job.

The fact that Bandy and Lil'Jordan Humphrey -- who wasn't even on the team a few weeks ago -- combined in this game for four catches, 62 yards, and two touchdowns? That's a testament to those guys' work ethic as well as the game-planning from Sean Payton.

And of course, Bo Nix's ability to see every level of the field and put the ball where his guys can make a play.