Colts vs. Broncos, NFL playoffs 2015: Can Andrew Luck defeat his predecessor?

The Denver Broncos are one of the few teams held up as true title contenders. But before they can prove whether the hype is valid, they'll need to overcome the visiting Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.

The Colts and quarterback Andrew Luck are respected throughout the league, but they're not necessarily feared. Indianapolis struggled to score during the final four games of the regular season, including a dreadful 42-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Still, any team with Luck has the potential to knock off superior opponents. Not only is the third-year quarterback gifted in terms of arm talent, his large frame (6'4, 240 pounds) and athleticism allows him to extend plays and challenge defenses as a runner.

The Broncos are a far more complete team. In addition to finishing the regular season with the top scoring offense in the conference, they possess one of the league's strongest defensive units. Not only has linebacker Von Miller come into his own in 2014, but the additions of DeMarcus Ware and T.J. Ward have pushed the defense to new heights. The only concern for Denver is whether Peyton Manning has overcome his December slump.

While Luck still has room to improve, he is playing at an incredibly high level for a third-year quarterback. His 40 touchdown passes were the most in the NFL and far outweighed his 16 interceptions. He also completed more than 61 percent of his passes and averaged over 7 yards per attempt for the first time in his career. As good as Luck is at guiding the Colts' aerial attack, the offense struggles to run the ball. It's best tailback this season was Ahmad Bradshaw, but he broke his leg in mid-November and landed on injured reserve. Neither of Indianapolis' other top runners have done much in his stead. Trent Richardson averages just 3.3 yards per attempt while Daniel Herron has trouble holding on to the ball (two fumbles last week).

While the numbers pale in comparison to last year's, the Broncos produced 482 points this season, second only to the Green Bay Packers. The catalyst behind that production remains Manning. Even at 38, Manning plays efficient, effective football. His 39 touchdown passes ranked second among all quarterbacks. That figure looks even better compared to the 15 interceptions he threw. Manning also remains very accurate, completing 66.2 percent of his passes. The primary beneficiaries of Manning's play have been receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Both wideouts exceeded 1,400 receiving yards this season and each caught over 100 balls.

T.Y. Hilton - While the star of Indianapolis' offense is its quarterback, his top receiver is due some attention. Hilton enjoyed a break out campaign in 2014, catching 82 balls for a career high 1,345 yards and seven touchdowns. Hilton is a big-play machine. He led the team with 21 plays of 20 or more yards. He also ranks among the league leaders in yards after the catch.