Is Win over Broncos Enough to Save Indianapolis Colts' Season?

It wasn't pretty, but that's rarely the case in the ugly game of football, especially when you defeat a team that hasn't lost in two months. All that matters is the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday found a way to at least symbolically save their season by stopping the Denver Broncos' seven-game season-opening winning streak. 

It was more than just another victory for a team that we all know is almost inevitably going to win its pathetic division and wind up a No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the AFC. Beating the Broncos 27-24 meant more emblematically than it did on paper. 

Here's why it really mattered: Had the Colts choked completely on a 17-0 first-half lead and allowed Peyton Manning and the Broncos to hand them a fourth consecutive loss, they'd have been left with almost no more opportunities to make statements before the end of the year. 

Just look at their remaining schedule. Indy, which has already lost to heavyweights New England and Carolina and strong conference foes Buffalo and the New York Jets, has just two games left against opponents that currently possess winning records.

And those matchups lack bite, too. One is against an Atlanta Falcons team that has been struggling immensely and has lost three of four. The other is against a Pittsburgh Steelers team that is without its top running back, its starting left tackle and center and might also be missing its star quarterback. 

This was Indy's last major opportunity to prove to the football world that it can go toe-to-toe with high-caliber opponents and come away victorious. And on short rest after an emotionally draining Monday night overtime loss to the perfect Carolina Panthers, they did exactly that as quarterback Andrew Luck outplayed his Hall of Fame-bound predecessor in a close but deserving win over the no-longer-perfect Broncos. 

It was much more impressive than the final score might suggest, and it's an indication that the Colts could be back. 

With their bye up next, they'll have two weeks to allow that win to marinate without having to wonder if indeed this team has lost its ability to grind out wins, or whether the coaching staff will suffer more casualties before that meeting with Atlanta in Week 11. 

And then they'll enter the final eight weeks of the year already at least tied for first place in the AFC South and healthier than they've been since August. Luck, who has been badly banged-up for much of the first half of the year, is turning a corner. And his top weapon, T.Y. Hilton, who has been hampered by a foot injury, should also benefit greatly from a fortnight off. 

But this has to be about Luck more than anyone, because the Colts know that in today's game they aren't going anywhere in the playoffs without excellent play under center.

Luck doesn't have to be the greatest quarterback on the planet, but he has to be something more than just steady. And he doesn't have to be 100 percent healthy (so few of these guys are), but he has to be capable of making every throw with the game on the line. 

On Sunday, he was. 

Again, it wasn't off the charts. He completed only 58 percent of his passes and averaged just 7.0 yards per attempt, but it was only his second interception-free game of the season and that 98.4 passer rating was also his highest of the year. 

Considering the Denver defense entered Sunday ranked first against the pass and second in terms of takeaways per game, that's an extremely positive sign. And it's a strong indication Luck began to regain his confidence and turn his fourth NFL season around when he led the Colts back from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit in order to force overtime Monday night in Carolina. 

Category	First 7 weeks	Last 2 weeks
Points per game	21.0	26.5
Yards per game	351.0	362.0
Average rank of opposing defense	14th	5th

Indy may have lost that game (on the road, to an unbeaten opponent with a killer defense), but the fact that he completed 17 of 25 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns on the final three offensive series of the fourth quarter indicates the three-time Pro Bowler regained something in Charlotte. 

And we saw more of that Sunday, particularly when he iced the game with a clutch 18-yard completion on a 3rd-and-10 in the fourth quarter, taking a massive hit in the process.  

Led by the rejuvenated Luck, a healthier, more confident Colts team should be capable of bullying the fading Falcons, the depleted Steelers and struggling Florida franchises Tampa Bay and Miami, and their other three games come against division rivals, Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee. 

Week	Opponent	Record
11	at Falcons	6-3
12	Buccaneers	4-4
13	at Steelers	5-4
14	at Jaguars	2-6
15	Texans	3-5
16	at Dolphins	3-5
17	Titans	2-6

Considering they've won 16 consecutive games within that ragged division and that they've won 25 of their last 29 against teams that went on to finish without a winning record, it's possible we no longer have to worry about the Colts. At least until January. 

We always knew the Colts could beat up on the Texans, Jaguars and Titans. But they entered Sunday with six straight losses against teams from outside of their division. And this was the last time we'd seen them play a healthy contender. 

The Colts could have folded up Sunday, limping into the off week while delivering hard-to-buy promises of a late-season turnaround, but by building an early 17-0 lead before hanging on against a first-place team thanks to a turnover-free performance, a strong effort on the ground and some clutch and/or gutty plays from Luck, Hilton and defenders Mike Adams and Darius Butler, they instead let their formidable play do the talking.

That's much more convincing. 

And at least now, when January arrives, the Colts and their fans will know that if the cylinders are firing, this is indeed a team capable of outplaying—and beating—anybody.

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012.

Follow @Brad_Gagnon