NFL: 5 Reasons the Denver Broncos Will Beat the Indianapolis Colts in AFC Divisional Game
Just four teams remain for the quest for the Super Bowl.
Two of those teams include the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos. The winner of this Sunday game will play in the AFC Championship game against either the New England Patriots or the Baltimore Ravens.
Both teams are great, but here's five reasons why the Broncos will win:
1. Home Field Advantage
The Broncos were a really good home team this year.
In fact, they were perfect. The Broncos were an unblemished 8-0 when playing at Mile High Stadium with notable wins over the San Francisco 49ers, Colts, San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs. The altitude is higher, and Peyton Manning knows just how to adjust to the conditions. The Colts lost three road games this season.
2. Turnovers
The Colts are a fun team to watch, because they play with fire. We've seen time and time again, the Colts make big comebacks in the second half from large deficits. One of the primary reasons the Colts are behind so often is because of turnovers. The Colts offense committed the third most turnovers in the NFL this season with 31. The Colts turnover ratio this season was negative five. Quarterback Andrew Luck had the second most turnovers in the league only behind Jay Cutler, and Colts lost a league-high 15 fumbles. The Broncos lost just five fumbles the entire season. You get the picture.
3. They Already Did
In Week 1, the Broncos defeated the Colts, 31-24. That doesn't necessarily mean the Broncos will automatically win this game, but the Broncos have the confidence and the blueprint to defeat their AFC rivals. In the second quarter of that game, the Broncos actually led 24-0. In that game, the Colts turned the ball of twice, whereas the Broncos didn't turn the ball over at all. The Colts were just 5-5 playing opponents outside the AFC South this season, and the Broncos will be a very tough challenge.
4. Peyton Manning
It was another solid year for Peyton Manning. The 38-year-old quarterback tossed 39 touchdowns and 15 interceptions with a 101.5 passer rating. With 4,727 passing yards, Manning again ranks near the top in nearly every major statistical passing category. Unlike Luck, Manning has a lot of playoff experience, having appeared in three Super Bowls. Manning knows his time is much more limited than Luck's because of age, and a playoff loss here would be devastating.
5. Balance
The best thing going for the Broncos over the Colts is team balance. The Broncos offense is led by Manning, and running back CJ Anderson has been outstanding over the last two months. With Julius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas, the Broncos have options all over the field. On top of that, the Colts' rushing attack ranks 22nd overall, whereas the Broncos have the No.2 rush defense in the NFL. In their Week 1 meeting, the Colts leading rusher was Trent Richardson with just 20 yards, and Luck had to throw the ball 53 times.
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