Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck have travelled different paths since passing each other outside of Indianapolis in the offseason of 2012, but both have been successful. Manning, of course, had the greatest statistical season a quarterback has ever had and led the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl last season. Luck took the Colts from a two-win disaster in 2011 to consecutive 11-5 playoff campaigns. The paths of the two quarterbacks will cross for the second time in as many seasons on Sunday night.
Colts vs. Broncos 2014 game preview: Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck meet again
Luck got the better of his predecessor last season, but this time he’ll have to meet Manning on his home turf in Denver.
Dilip Vishwanat
The last time that happened, Luck spoiled Manning’s Indy homecoming by tossing three touchdowns in a 39-33 midseason win. This time the Colts travel to Mile High in Denver, where Manning has lost just three times during the last two years. After an offseason full of free agent turnover, the Broncos are ready to prove shake off their championship thumping, while Luck and the Colts want to prove their ready to take the next step.
Meet the Broncos
The biggest question for Denver's offense is how it will replace Wes Welker, who got a four-game suspension dumped on him earlier this week. Manning will have to rely on a combination of former Steeler Emmanuel Sanders and second-round pick Cody Latimer to fill the gaps opposite Pro Bowler Demaryius Thomas (Erick Decker is with the Jets now). They'll also be breaking in a new starting running back -- second-year pro Montee Ball steps into the feature role after Knowshon Moreno took his talents to South Beach.
Denver made a point to load themselves down with veteran defensive playmakers during free agency. Former Cowboys end DeMarcus Ware joins a defensive front that gets back a healthy Von Miller, while 2013 Pro Bowlers Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward arrive to help a pass defense that returns emerging young cornerback Chris Harris Jr. The Broncos should spend plenty of time playing with the lead, so if the pass rush and secondary live up to its potential, the defense could be scary good.
Meet the Colts
Luck's been good -- and adds a healthy Reggie Wayne, free agent Hakeem Nicks and third-round pick Donte Moncrief to his target list -- but the key to Indianapolis's offensive success will be the ground game. Chuck Pagano prefers heavy sets and a power running attack, but the absence of reliable backs limited the Colts to just 108.9 rushing yards per game in 2013 (20th in the NFL). The problem is more than just Trent Richardson -- Football Outsiders calculated that Indy was middle of the pack in offensive-line produced rushing yards, which isn't good enough to make Pagano's system work. Injuries kept the inexperienced interior of the line from working together during training camp and the preseason, which doesn't bode well for their first outing against the Broncos tough defensive front.
A Colts defense that struggled in 2013 gets put to an early test against the Broncos historic attack. On the positive side, the team was able to keep star cornerback Vontae Davis at home during free agency, a move that should pay immediate dividends against the Broncos' stable of receivers. On the other hand, the four-game suspension of veteran pass rusher Robert Mathis leaves a whole along the defensive front.
Injuries
The Broncos got bad news last month when it was announced that starting outside linebacker Danny Trevathan will miss 6-8 weeks with a fractured knee. Brandon Marshall, who spent most of last season on the practice squad and has yet to make an NFL tackle on defense, will start in his stead.
A pair of Colts defenders have missed practice time this week: safety LaRon Landry and outside linebacker Erik Walden.
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Odds
Vegas isn’t giving the Colts much of a chance for the upset. The Broncos opened as six-point favorites and the over/under began at 55. Stay up to date with the latest lines at Oddsshark.com.
Next Week
The Broncos stay home next Sunday to host the Kansas City Chiefs, an upstart division rival they dropped twice a season ago. The Colts draw the Philadelphia Eagles and Chip Kelly's blitzkrieg offense in a Monday night showdown in Indy.
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