Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts: Full Denver Game Preview

Following a dominant 29-10 victory over the previously unbeaten Green Bay Packers in Week 8, what better time for the Denver Broncos (7-0) to face the team that embarrassed them at home in last season's divisional playoffs?

The Broncos will take to the road in Week 9 to battle a struggling Indianapolis Colts team that just fired its offensive coordinator. The Colts were expected to be a much better team, but don't expect the Broncos to feel bad for them.

Many fans likely vividly remember the way the Broncos were beaten last January, losing 24-13 with a shot at the AFC Championship Game on the line. Uncertainty hung in the air following that defeat.

Since that loss, the Broncos have hired a new coaching staff, installed a new offense as well as a new defense and they just so happen to be undefeated with their sights set on the Super Bowl again.

Here, we will provide a full preview of this week's game, including recent news and notes on key matchups to look for. We'll also round it out by predicting the outcome of the game. For more, click forward.

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Week 8 Recap

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No one expected the Broncos to come out and dominate the undefeated Packers, even if the game was being played in Denver. No one expected the defense to hold Green Bay to 10 points or Aaron Rodgers to 77 yards passing, despite how good the unit has been.

But all of those things happened.

The Broncos attacked Green Bay from the opening kickoff, and Peyton Manning came out throwing the ball downfield with accuracy. The Broncos also got the running game going with not just one, but two running backs.

With the momentum established by a resurgent offense, the defense came at Rodgers and his offense. The star quarterback was rattled all night. He left frustrated, and with one of the worst statistical games of his career.

He completed just 14 passes as the offense managed to total just 140 yards.

It was clearly the most impressive victory Denver has managed this season, and the win restored confidence that this team is good enough to complete its ultimate goal.

If you want to nitpick, the Broncos were penalized 11 times for 93 yards. But at the same time, the offensive line played its best game of the season. Manning was afforded the protection he needs to find his receivers down the field, and the running backs had more holes to run through than they have all season.

Head coach Gary Kubiak would surely like to minimize those penalties, but there's no doubt he'll take the total team effort he received in this game.

News and Notes

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Broncos Make Trade for Vernon Davis

The biggest news of the week for the team was obviously the acquisition of tight end Vernon Davis. At one time regarded as one of the game's top tight ends, Davis comes to the Broncos following a game in which production was finally found out of the position.

Against Green Bay, the combination of Virgil Green and Owen Daniels had six catches for 105 yards. Kubiak's offenses have always focused on getting the tight ends involved in the passing game, so it's somewhat surprising it took this long for Denver to do so.

Still, the team felt compelled to trade for Davis prior to Tuesday's trade deadline.

Selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the No. 6 overall pick of the 2006 NFL draft, Davis has 441 catches for 5,640 yards and 55 touchdowns in his career. Though his production has seen a drop in recent years, Davis could rebound in a big way in Denver.

He is still likely one of the fastest tight ends in the league, and the Broncos will use him unlike most teams use their tight ends. He will be used to stretch defenses down the field and create mismatches. Daniels and Green will still be key parts of the offense, but Davis is a guy the Broncos will try to scheme ways to get the ball to.

In exchange, the Broncos gave up sixth-round picks in 2016 and 2017. They will also get San Francisco's seventh-round pick in 2016.

Denver Nearly Traded for Joe Thomas

The Broncos were prepared to make another move prior to the trade deadline, perhaps even bigger than the trade that landed Davis.

As Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com pointed out, the Broncos had discussions with the Cleveland Browns about acquiring left tackle Joe Thomas. This would have been a huge move for the Broncos, as Thomas has been selected to the Pro Bowl eight times.

As Legwold reports, multiple sources have confirmed that the Browns wanted a little too much for their left tackle, and general manager John Elway wasn't going to go that far.

Instead, the Broncos will rotate the combination of Ryan Harris and Tyler Polumbus at left tackle for the remainder of the season. Although this is a story for much later down the road, even though the Broncos weren't able to secure the services of Thomas, what does their interest in him mean for Ryan Clady?

Ty Sambrailo's Season is Over

Sticking with the offensive line, let's talk about why Harris and Polumbus will be the co-left tackles for the rest of the season. That is because rookie Ty Sambrailo has been placed on injured reserve, as reported by Andrew Mason of the team's official website.

This is disappointing news for Sambrailo, who will need surgery to repair a torn labrum. He joins Jeff Heuerman as members of this year's draft class who are now on injured reserve.

Sambrailo was able to get some experience as a starter, and hopefully that will carry over into next season. There should be no doubt that he is in the team's long-term plans after they used the No. 59 overall pick in the draft to bring him in from Colorado State.

Latest Injury News

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It remains unclear if any players will be unable to suit up and take the field this week against the Colts, but linebacker Shane Ray and wide receiver Jordan Norwood are two players to keep an eye on.

Andrew Mason of the team's official website reported that both players sat out Wednesday's practice, as did linebacker Shaquil Barrett.

Both Ray and Norwood missed the game against the Packers. Norwood is nursing a sore hamstring while Ray is trying to recover from a sprained knee that was suffered in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns.

Bennie Fowler seems to be getting a firm grip on the No. 3 wide receiver spot, and Norwood has proved to be unreliable as a return man on special teams. Still, the Broncos could use him as an additional weapon in the passing game.

As for Ray, the team needs to make sure he is at 100 percent before he takes the field again, no matter how long it takes. The pass rush is thriving without him, but Ray could be a dangerous weapon the Broncos could unleash on teams in the postseason.

Key Matchups

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Chris Harris vs. T.Y. Hilton

As good as Aqib Talib has been for Denver, the playoff loss to the Colts in January was by far his worst game. Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton had his way with him, averaging 18.0 yards per reception. It was cringe-worthy watching Talib trying to keep up.

In order to slow down the quick, shifty receiver that Hilton is, the Broncos must match Chris Harris up against him. Harris is currently ranked as the No. 3 cornerback in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.

While the Colts have struggled this year, Andrew Luck and Hilton have the ability to change the complexion of a game with one deep ball.

Demaryius Thomas vs. Vontae Davis

Manning connected with Demaryius Thomas eight times for 168 yards against Green Bay, but it was the first couple of passes on the first two drives that were the most important.

Thomas caught two passes for 48 yards on Denver's first two possessions, and those throws helped Manning get into a rhythm with his No. 1 receiver. He will need to do the same against the Colts, but Vontae Davis presents another challenge.

Davis has given Thomas trouble in the past, but currently ranks No. 47 in terms of pass coverage on rankings provided by Pro Football Focus. This is a matchup Thomas needs to win, and win often.

Denver Interior Pass Rush vs. Khaled Holmes, Hugh Thornton

The Broncos love to bring pressure off the edge with DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller, but this is a game where they could bring the heat on Luck up the middle. 

Center Khaled Holmes and guard Hugh Thornton struggle mightily in pass protection, as evidenced by their rankings on Pro Football Focus. Holmes ranks at No. 32 out of 34 centers, and Thornton comes in at No. 71 out of 80 eligible guards.

That doesn't bode well for Luck, as Malik Jackson could be the guy who has multiple sacks this week.

X-Factor Player

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Broncos' X-Factor Player of the Week: Vernon Davis

This is an easy call. Though Davis will likely take a few weeks to learn the full playbook, the Broncos didn't trade for him so he could warm up the bench.

Davis will be on the field Sunday, and the Broncos will look to get him involved. Denver can get him matched up against a linebacker, and Davis can turn a short pass into a big gain. He was brought in to create mismatches, and that is what he'll do.

With Manning throwing the ball to him, look for Davis to make an impact in his first game in a new uniform.

Davis will catch four passes for 65 yards in this game, and two of those plays will go for over 20 yards, setting up scores.

Prediction

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This will be the fourth—and perhaps last—time that Manning will face his former team. The Colts have won two of the three previous battles against Manning, but Denver won't be worried about that storyline.

For Denver, the focus is simple. The team has its eyes on securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. However, the Broncos should also not lose sight of the fact that the Colts are a dangerous team, even if their record doesn't indicate that.

The Colts will be desperate for a win, even if they still hold the lead in the AFC South. It wasn't supposed to be this way for the Colts, but all the preseason hype is not translating to the field.

The Broncos came out aggressive against Green Bay, almost upset that they were an underdog in their own stadium. But against the sputtering Colts, they need to keep their foot on the gas, stay aggressive, attack on defense and remember what happened back in January.

Denver will win this game, but Luck has the talent and determination to keep his team in it until the end. He will just find this defense much tougher to deal with than the one he faced in the playoffs.

Final Prediction: Broncos 24, Colts 13