It doesn't matter that he's already played his former team since joining the Denver Broncos; Peyton Manning taking on the Indianapolis Colts will always be a big deal. Manning obviously had an incredible career with the Colts, and any time he goes head-to-head with the man who took over for him, Andrew Luck, it's going to be intriguing. But there's a lot more to Sunday's matchup, which is the season opener for both teams.
Colts vs. Broncos 2014: Time, TV schedule, how to watch online, radio and more
Andrew Luck vs. Peyton Manning will always dominate the headlines when the Colts and Broncos face off. That makes sense, given offense will be the thing to watch on Sunday.
Andy Lyons
Denver’s had back-to-back 13-win seasons under Manning, who isn’t slowing down one bit. It stands to reason that he’ll regress at some point, but after a productive, injury-free offseason, he’ll make the Broncos just as formidable against the Colts as they have been in recent years.
Luck has had some success with Indianapolis, but has yet to reach a Super Bowl. Luck has never paid much attention to the Manning comparisons, though, and will be all business for Sunday’s matchup between the two solid teams.
How to watch
Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver
When: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Radio: Broncos Radio Network | Colts Radio Network
Online streaming: NBC Sports Live Extra
Nuts and bolts
Luck led the Colts to the No. 17 pass offense and No. 21 rush offense in the NFL last season. They also ranked No. 13 in pass defense and No. 26 in rush defense. Those numbers are underwhelming, but the Colts still went 6-0 against the AFC South and finished the regular season at 11-5. Indianapolis will be hoping new addition Hakeem Nicks will be able to contribute on offense, and that Trent Richardson will finally "get" the NFL and play to his potential.
Denver fielded the most productive offense in NFL history last season. Needless to say, they're not expected to repeat the performance that saw Manning throw for 340.3 yards per game on average. That's especially true given that Wes Welker will miss this game, and the next three, due to a suspension. The Broncos, however, do feel good about new additions Emmanuel Sanders and rookie Cody Latimer at the wide receiver position.
Make no mistake: the spotlight will be on the quarterbacks for this one, and for good reason.
Further reading
For more on the Broncos, head on over to Mile High Report. For more on the Colts, Stampede Blue has you covered.
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