The Indianapolis Colts knocked off the previously unbeaten Denver Broncos, 27-24, in what could be a season-changing win after a disappointing start. The Colts, once thought of Super Bowl favorites, can maybe -- maybe -- reignite those dreams.
The Colts finally look like the Colts, beating the Broncos 27-24
The Colts finally looked like we expected them too before the season began.
The Colts’ first half was their best half of football this season. For 29 minute and 47 seconds, they played like the championship contender that many thought they might be before the season began. Then Omar Beldon brought them back to Earth, because nothing can go exactly as planned for the Colts.
Seemingly about to take a 17-0 lead into halftime, the Colts gave up an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown to the fourth-year safety. The score sapped the Colts’ momentum out of Lucas Oil Stadium. Peyton Manning got hot to start the second half, hitting Emmanuel Sanders in stride for a 64-yard touchdown then Owen Daniels on a 37-yard gain to help set up a game-tying field goal, 17-17.
And yet, after absorbing 17 straight points, the Colts hunkered down. They’ve had a habit of rolling over at key moments this season, but when presented with the opportunity, again, they stayed strong. The offensive line held up against the league’s best pass rush (albeit down DeMarcus Ware late) and Andrew Luck was dead-on accurate. He went 5-for-7 with a 38-yard completion and an 8-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead, 24-17. If not for a Donte Moncrief drop, the Colts would have likely scored a touchdown instead settling for a field goal to go up 27-24 on their next possession.
Luck outlasted Manning on a night when Manning, at least for most of the second half, was playing like his old self. The Colts arguably clinched the game with a fantastic diving interception by Darius Butler with six minutes to play. More importantly, however, they didn’t commit the mistakes they’ve been prone to this season. They committed zero turnovers, they gave up just one sack and the running game, while not dominant, was at least serviceable.
Instead, it was the Broncos turning the ball over and making mental mistakes. They seemed to have stopped the Colts deep in Broncos territory when cornerback Aqib Talib committed a personal foul when he tried to poke a Colts player in the eye. The penalty awarded the Colts a first down as the clock ticked down to the two-minute warning, essentially sealing the game with the Broncos out of timeouts. If not for a special team breakdown, the Colts could have won by more.
The Colts don’t need style points, however, they’ll be happy with the win and whatever bit of momentum they can get. As the leaders in the atrocious AFC South, it likely won’t matter what their regular season record is, they just need to find their footing for the playoffs. They appeared to make a lot of progress Sunday.
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