I know the Colts are undefeated. I know they have the best quarterback in the NFL. I know they are hosting the Broncos.
But unlike certain past trips to Indianapolis, the Broncos have a shot to win.
Most Broncos fans have a tough time forgetting the debacles of playoffs past in Indianapolis. If they did forget, this week probably reminded them of the Broncos inability to keep those games competitive.
To this point, the Colts have shown themselves to be the best team in the AFC. At home, they are rightly the favorite against a Broncos team that keeps showing people wrong.
I would not be shocked, however, if the Broncos at least kept the game competitive and even won. Here are a few reasons why.
1. IT’S A NEW DAY. And I don’t believe it’s Groundhog Day, when the Broncos will wake up only to find themselves blown out again under the Colts’ roof. The Broncos coaching staff and roster have gone through major upheaval since the team last played back there.
While those of us who follow the Broncos can look at past games between these teams and use them as some kind of reference point for the upcoming match-up, I’m not sure those previous games will actually matter when the two teams play on Sunday. Clearly, years of futility at Arrowhead didn’t matter much when the Broncos routed the Chiefs there.
The flip side to the idea of it being a new day is that a new day doesn’t guarantee a different result. Nothing guarantees a Broncos’ win over the Colts. If the Broncos play well, they’ll have a chance to win.
2. THE SECONDARY. Former Broncos’ head coach Mike Shanahan once drafted three cornerbacks in one draft because of the Broncos’ struggles facing the Colts in Indy. That didn’t help. Now, though, the Broncos have a talented and experienced secondary heading into the showdown with the Colts.
Peyton Manning has shown he can pick any defense apart. At the same time, I like the Broncos chances of keeping things interesting in part because of their defensive backfield. These veterans – Champ Bailey, Andre Goodman, Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill – have seen about all there is to see in the NFL. They’ll know how to hide what they’re trying to do against Manning.
“Disguise is everything,” Broncos’ defensive backs coach Ed Donatell said this week.
In addition, the Broncos’ defensive backs won’t panic if Manning makes some big plays. And he likely will make his share of them.
3. THE RUNNING GAME. Keeping the ball and thus, keeping Manning on his sideline doesn’t always equate to beating the Colts. Just ask the Dolphins, who had 45:07 of possession time but lost to the Colts, 27-23 in week two. That’s right, the Colts scored 27 points in 14:53. Wow.
But I like the way the Broncos are rushing the ball. They had 138 yards on the ground in the win over the Giants and backed that up with a staggering 245 against the Chiefs.
Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter are in a good rhythm. Peyton Hillis showed good things against Kansas City. The Colts allow 111.7 yards per game on the ground, 18th in the NFL. I think the Broncos can have some success running the football.
A successful rushing attack will not only enable the Broncos to keep Manning on the sideline, but one would think it would also make play-action more effective and open things up for quarterback Kyle Orton in the passing game. Time of possession, while important, isn’t all that is needed to beat the Colts. If the Broncos run the ball, then they’ll have a much better chance of making bigger plays down the field.
A lot will have to go right for the Broncos to beat the Colts. And I’ll admit it, if I were a betting man, I would have to take the Colts to win the game.
But I’m glad I’m not a betting man. This one could be really interesting.
How do you see Sunday’s game unfolding and what are the keys for the Broncos?
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Mike
Tags: Correll Buckhalter, Ed Donatell, Indianapolis Colts, Knowshon Moreno, Week 14
Amen, Mike! I love your optimism. We win the turnover battle and we got a shot. Let the stampede continue!
The players believe this is a statement game this week meaning that we deserve to be in the playoffs and BDawkins will make sure we are ready for the Colts.
If DOOM and Co. can get pressure on Manning cosistently and come out with a postive turnover ratio the Broncos will hand the Colts their first loss.
I BELIEVE IN MY BRONCOS! Get em boys! Heres to 9-4 and locking up a playoff spot
A Broncos win and a deadbolts loss would be priceless. I hate the Cowgirls, but I’ll be rooting for them this weekend!
It has consistently been proven that even the best QBs in the game (manning and brady) make mistakes when pressured. I think the key will be minimizing the time Peyton is on the field and then forcing him into quicker throws that will be off target.
Now it isn’t just getting pressure it’s how you get that pressure because peyton consistently beats constant blitzing. We need to do it with 4 or 5 rushers max.
Get that pressure with your front 3 plus an unknown linebacker or two… If we can do that, we win.
“Now hold on a minute”, actually lets aim for 35+ minutes tomorrow! Great points Mr. Rice. I agree with you that a big key is our seondary. I think its lost on a lot of people that our D is allowing the 2nd or 3rd fewest yards through the air. Although it isn’t translating to those coveted turnovers, we are still adding on the W’s. Which is the main goal every Sunday. If we can get that 9th one this Sunday, it will be a sweet one indeed. If we can knock them off, it would be the 5th division leader to fall on our schedule. Lets show em the real horses are in the AFC… GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!
What makes me mad is when they present thursday night football they say
“THE BATTLE OF 2 UNDEFEATED TEAMS!” saying colts will be undefeated and saints. That makes me so angry. I will laugh so hard though if we beat the colts and they continue to play that comercial.
If the broncos can put pressure on Manning & make throw the ball sooner than he wants to if have a great chance of winning. Don’t have to be sacks just alot of pressure.
If the broncos can put pressure on Manning & make him throw the ball sooner than he wants to we have a great chance of winning. Don’t have to be sacks just alot of pressure.
Had to correct my first blog.
I really like our chances on Sunday. When you look at how the Colts have played these past six weeks, they really have’nt dominated in any of those games. In fact, they’ve only beaten thier opponents by ten points or less. WE ALL know that the Pats beat themselves, and I really think in the game against the 49ers it was some poor officiating.
I don’t think the Colts are as prestigious as the ‘experts’ make them out to be. Granted they have Peyton Manning, but he’s just a QB, NOT Superman!
This game is easily winnable if we don’t have any boneheaded penalties, and keep the turn over margin to a ZERO.
Something also tells me McD and company have burning the mid-night oil on this one, and Denver will prevail!
I mean…we FINALLY got the monkey off of our back in KC, and I had some reservations about that game.
Great post Mr. Rice!
Peyton really is Superman(but Doom has kryptonite)….LOL.
Great post Mike,you make some great points.I have to agree with you, I think we will surprise a lot of people Sunday,ESPECIALLY those dummies on NFL network.(they said Manning would shred our Defefnse)…GO BRONCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can’t stop Peyton Manning,but we sure can slow him down,all we have to do is rattle him a little bit,and get some pressure on him, and hope he makes a few mistakes,and not too many big plays.The best thing we can do is ball control.If they ain’t got the ball they can’t score!!!!!!!We need Orton to play smart,and run the ball down their freaking throats….GO BRONCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You forgot one more thing. They haven’t seen eddie royal yet. Also I don’t think there secondary can keep Brandon Marshall from catching any balls. There are two other things that I think really favor us. They haven’t really played against a great defense other than the ravens and they almost lost to them. Plus Ryan Clady hopefully will keep Freeny away from Orton. So the way the defense played against the titans really doesn’t count for how well we run the ball on their defense. I say we win this.
Broncos win:
Broncos 27
Colts 21
copycat, LOL.
No Roc Alexander no DWill(RIP) no Bly no problem?
I have us winning 23-17
I see alot of keys in this weeks match. If 6-5 Marsh gets one on one with 5-10 Sanders look out. Ty Law is gonna have to step up in the slot. We have to run, doom has to get pressure, and Royal has to give us good field position. Secondary has to step up big and our LB’s need to keep Dallas Clark wrapped up underneath. I think that’s our biggest mismatch though so Hill and Dawkins are gonna have to stay on them. Most important of all… the offensive cant make mistakes and the line definitely cant make penalties. It would be nice to see Scheffler getting the ball more. I think he can be our secret weapon.
GO BRONC’S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FOR the love of GOD, backs and recievers Please hold on to the ball because they can strip it!!
Baylin,LMAO,drinkin’ a cold one tonight???????????
I think this will have to be a shootout so thankfully we’re capable of amassing points. I don’t believe in predicting final scores, so I just hope we have more points than Indianapolis does when time runs out. If we play our best game, we have a great shot to win so let’s do it. GO BRONCOS!!!
one thing that the broncos of old did so well was playing physical. the orange crush defense pounded teams to the turf. the old offensive line (smallest in the league) made even the biggest d lines crumble (eg super bowl 32). though mcdaniels doesnt really imply the rough and tough attitude, we need to play smashmouth football in order to beat indianapolis. im especially saying this for the big guys in the trenches. i always thought of the colts as a finesse football team. if we pound on them and tire them out physically, we can wear down both the offensive and defensive lines. this will give peyton less time to make decisions, and open up big lanes for bucky and knowshon to run through.
anything is possible people.
their record might say otherwise, but the colts are far from perfect.
Here’s my prediction: I say the game is won on a turn over in the 4th, Alphonso intercepts and takes it to the house, and McD goes for the 2pt conversion. TOUCHDOWN DENVER!!!
29-21 Broncos!!!
wow! thats a pretty detailed prediction RockyMts69, I hope you can really see the future fellow fan..
I like our rbs identities, bursting (buck) slip-n-slide(km) and pound it in (Hillis)
Good post Mike, but you forgot to mention Ty Law in that veteran secondary, hopefully he is the difference maker in our defense. everyone’s pretty much matched up…last time we went up against veteran WRs, they made us look bad at times…there was Derrick Mason and Hines Ward. Reggie Wayne might be a notch above those two…
Lets play mistake-free football Broncos!
Lets make remember the day they came close to history!
Go out there, punch em’ in the mouth! Dominate!!
I really think those 4 losses brought our team closer together. Ever since we were killed by San Diego we have been playing as a complete team. Tomorrow will really show what we’re made of. I hope we dominate and embarrass the Colts
Ive been hammering on my friend who is a Colts fan all week that we’re going to beat them..so yes..I could really use a win
D DAY, may the Broncos win. Buckle up, this is gonna be a wild ride, the kind of game where a two score lead with 5 minutes to go may mean absolutely nothing. More than any other game, this is the one you must compete for the full 60 minutes, anything less and Manning might eat you up. Big time football. let’s go Broncos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BTW, 35 picks this week, from us winning by 17 to us losing by 21, talk about covering the whole spectrum… All picks are in, no picks on game day, good luck fellow bloggers, I’ll probably be posting the results after the SD-Dallas game, if I’m in a good mood, or I’ll wait til the morning if I’m not. LOL.
Scenario that would have me in a great mood: Bronco and Cowboy wins.
In a good mood: Bronco win, Cowboy loss.
In a not so good mood: Bronco loss, Cowboy win.
In a horrible mood; Bronco and Cowboy losses.
Why do I get involved in this NFL thing, it’s bound to kill me!!!! LOL.
im looking for great execution on offence and defence score broncos 34 colts 31 go broncos
baylinor,
You mean, if the Broncos win you will post after the SD – Cowboys game cuz that would definitely put you in a good mood, and an even better mood if the Cowboys win! I’m getting both games today on the CBS double header. Can’t wait! GO BRONCOS!
Oh yeah, and for today only, GO COWBOYS!
I’ll admit that, when I first saw the schedule, this was the one game I penciled in as a likely loss. But, this is a whole new Broncos team; and now, with the way the team has played most of the year, coming off the big win at Arrowhead… this feels more like an exciting opportunity!
Great play all around will be needed; pass rush and coverage feel like the top priority among firsts. It really does feel like the Broncos have a good chance to win this one. Should be a great game. Go Broncos!!!!!!!
Elvis gets a strip sack on first play. Dawkins takes it to the house. That’s how the game needs to start. Show Peyton whose his daddy.
Broncos will win this one! Just a Gut feeling.
GO BRONCOS!!!
FTR, hope you got a good size gut, for a big old good feeling! LOL.
If there was a way to put a bug in the players ears; “dont play off the receivers today.”
I LIKE that, florio’s_mom!
Bay, i can understand not liking the Cowboys, i dont think any of us do, but if they lose then we are chasing SD even harder.
pjbar357, are you drinking already? LOL. Don’t know what you are saying, all I have been saying is I hope the Cowboys win. Re-read my post, you’ll get it.
I wish i was drinking already, would make me look a little less stupid. I totally skipped the Great Mood line. duh
Guys, the ex-Colt Marshall Faulk just picked us to beat his old team today!!!!!
Mike: Good points about our running game. Buckhalter and Moreno obviously have different running styles with Buck having a more explosive 2nd/3rd step. We know Hillis came in to kill the clock and did a great job. You could just see he’s hungry for the ball. I’m with plenty of others on the web, who are still puzzled as to why Coach McD has not factored Hillis more into his game plan this year. If we’re going to spread the ball around, why not use a powerful FB to help carry the load especially in short yardage situations. Larsen has done well in I- formation as a lead blocker. We see if he if he gets the opportunity to carry the rock soon. At any rate, the Team has done well with Buck and Moreno.
The O-line has done a great job over the course of the season and Clady should be a Pro-Bowler.
Our boys have a great challenge today. Good to hear they worked on the substition process this week, as Peyton will no doubt go “no huddle” against our Defense. (NFL live on ESPN). Lucas Oil Stadium will be loud today. From the comfort of our home, we will be loud today as we cheer our Broncos on to victory!
broncofanlvnm: Good point made earlier this week on how our RB’s should be able to get on track vs. Colts Defense. Standings do indicate they are susceptible vs. the run.
baylinor- Was not able to get my pick in on time, as I’ve been extremely busy, but do predict a close victory for our boys today… (two or three point win).
I know the rules.. lol
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry forgot proof read my post….
Hey that’s awesome baylinor on what Faulk had to say !!!!
Royal, I have to agree with the FB HB teams. Didnt we go to the Super Bowel and win twice back to back last time we had a team like that. Griffin/Davis. Was a long time ago and a lot has changed but it worked then should work now. I am willing to bet we see some of that next year.
Great game by Dawkins & the Broncos D, as well as, Marshall! Keep getting the ball to him! It cost me my hair though. I’m going through the winter up here in Canada bald since we lost to the Colts. I’ll be upping the ante in the playoffs when we meet the Colts then! I’ve been a Broncos fan since I was 7-8 when Elway came to the team. Broncos fans are few and far between in Vancouver. I think we have a great team this season but we need to get our redzone efficiency improved! Keep it going boys!!!
Good to apprehend they formed on the substition action this week, as Peyton will no agnosticism go adjoin our Defense. (NFL reside on ESPN). Lucas Oil Stadium will be loud today. From the abundance of our home, we will be loud today as we acclamation our Broncos on to victory!
I felt that you forgot one added thing. They have not apparent eddie aristocratic yet. Also I do not anticipate there accessory can accumulate Brandon Marshall from communicable any balls. There are two added things that I anticipate absolutely favor us. They have not absolutely played adjoin a abundant aegis added than the ravens and they about absent to them. So the way the aegis played adjoin the titans absolutely does not calculation for how able-bodied we run the brawl on their defense. I say we win this.