Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts: Complete NFL Playoff Preview & Predictions for AFC Division Game [VOTE]
The Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts will battle in the NFC Divisional game on Sunday afternoon at 4:40 p.m. EST.
If you want to see a dramatic game between two great quarterbacks, this is the one to watch. Peyton Manning spent 14 years of his Hall of Fame career with the Colts winning MVP awards, a Super Bowl and breaking records. Now the Colts are led by Andrew Luck, who is one of the best young quarterbacks in the game today.
Luck and Manning threw a combined 79 touchdowns this season.
Let's see which team has the advantage on Sunday.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos finished the season with a 12-4 record, winning the AFC West for the fourth consecutive season. With that 12-4 record, the Broncos are the No. 2 seed in the AFC, and they received a bye week in the wild card round.
In Week 1, the Broncos defeated the Colts at home, 31-24. Broncos fans are hoping history will repeat itself, this time in the postseason. For the Broncos, it starts and ends with the quarterback, Peyton Manning. Manning had another terrific season, throwing 39 touchdowns with a 101.5 passer rating. Running back CJ Anderson has been one of the best in the league over the last two months providing a balanced offensive attack.
With Julius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas, the Broncos have plenty of reliable targets to throw to. We also can't forget about slot receiver Wes Welker. The Broncos offense ranked second in points scored and fourth in yards gained.
Perhaps the most underrated defense in the league, the Broncos defensive unit ranked third overall during the regular season. Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware combined for 24 sacks this year, and Aqib Talib and TJ Ward are making huge plays in the secondary.
The Broncos are obviously the more complete team, having a superior rushing attack and defense. As long as they play their usual game, they should be able to take care of business at home, where they were 8-0 this season.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts won the AFC South for the second consecutive year and finished the season with an 11-5 record. In the wild card round the Colts beat the Cincinnati Bengals at home, 26-10. Luck has now made the postseason all three years of his young career.
The biggest issue for the Colts is running the football. The Colts don't have a consistent rusher, especially with Ahmad Bradshaw on injured reserve. Trent Richardson hasn't exactly lived up to his first round draft expectations. On top of that, the Broncos have the best rush defense in the AFC.
The Colts know they're the underdogs, but they can still win this game.
It looks like quarterback Andrew Luck will be throwing at least 50 passes this game. Luck led the NFL in touchdowns (40) during the regular season, and he'll be counted on to win this contest. T.Y. Hilton had a team-high 1,345 receiving yards, and future Hall of Famer Reggie Wayne will have to play great for the Colts to have a chance.
The X factor player for the Colts in this game will be tight end Coby Fleener. Fleener played with Luck at Stanford, and he led the Colts with eight receiving touchdowns this season.
The Colts defense will have their hands full against Manning and company, but this team was 5-3 on the road this season.
Schedule, Where to Watch
The Broncos and Colts are scheduled to play each other on Sunday, Jan. 11, at 4:40 p.m. EST on CBS. The game will be played at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. You can view a live game stream here.
Predictions
As much as this is "Manning vs. Luck," the Broncos will win for a number of reasons. They have a superior defense, home field advantage and the Colts just don't have a running game. Luck will be asked to throw the ball probably 50 times, and that will result in a few turnovers for the Broncos defense. The Broncos are 8-0 at home this season for a reason.
Broncos win 33-24
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