Did Indianapolis Colts Expose Flaws in Denver Broncos Defense?

The Denver Broncos suffered their first loss of the season on the road against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9. They fell behind early, pulled close late but still lost 27-24 on Sunday.

The Broncos defense—considered the best in the league—struggled to stop quarterback Andrew Luck and the Colts offense. It was an interesting week for the Colts as they fired former offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and put associate head coach Rob Chudzinski in his place. In less than a week, Chudzinski was able to find a way to beat Broncos defense.

Did the Colts expose flaws in the Broncos defense? Let’s take a look.

Luck Had Enough Time

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

The Broncos defense entered this game with more sacks than any other team in the NFL. Their sack-per-attempt percentage of 11.9 was highest in the league through eight weeks. On Sunday, the Broncos were only able to sack Luck once even though he attempted 36 passes.

They compiled 11 quarterback hits on Sunday, but those came just after Luck had gotten rid of the ball. With just a bit of added time to throw, Luck was able to pick apart the Broncos in one-on-one situations where the linebackers or safeties were isolated. He had to take some big shots staying in the pocket as routes developed, but the Broncos were just a little late getting to Luck as he released the ball.

In addition to keeping passing plays alive in and out of the pocket, Luck was able to scramble for significant yardage—usually on a key down-and-distance. Luck finished the game with 34 yards on six carries (5.7 yards per carry). His ability to hurt the Broncos defense with his legs in addition to his arm was a key factor in the Colts win.

Gore Softened Them Up

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A flaw exposed in the Denver defense on Sunday was on the ground as veteran running back Frank Gore softened up the defense. As a team, the Colts rushed for 120 yards. This was the second-highest total given up by the Broncos defense this season (147 yards rushing allowed to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2).

The Colts gave Gore the rock 28 times as he ran hard between the tackles. Gore was able to compile 83 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown on Sunday. His 3.0 yards per carry wasn’t great, but he did enough to keep the chains moving and keep the Broncos defense on the field.

Gore didn’t have overwhelming success on the ground against Denver, but his production (and the team’s commitment to the run) helped wear down the Broncos. That commitment helped the Colts dominate the time of possession. They held the ball for almost 39 minutes, while the Broncos only had possession for just a little more than 21 minutes. The Colts couldn’t have held the ball that long without the tough running of Gore.

Converting Third Downs

The Colts were able to keep drives alive by converting tough third-down situations. They did that with key passing plays from Luck, as he looked to find the greatest mismatches. The Colts were also pounding the rock to move the chains.

On Sunday, they converted 12-of-20 third-down opportunities. The Broncos could not generate much momentum as a team when the defense would hold strong for two downs then give up a big play on third down.

The Colts ended up with 27 first downs on Sunday. That is much more than the 16 first downs the Broncos offense generated. The Colts did not have a turnover in this game, and that helped the offense as they battled for extra yards after contact.

Penalties Hurt Them

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

The Broncos defense committed too many penalties on Sunday, and it cost them dearly. The late-game penalties will be what is remembered by most.

Cornerback Aqib Talib had two fouls late in the game. One was for poking Colts tight end Dwayne Allen in the eye after a play was over. Allen was in a shoving/shouting match with linebacker Von Miller, and Talib came over in defense of his teammate.

Later, Talib was penalized for running into an official. Talib told reporters he was merely standing 10 yards away from the official and clapping at him—and he insists he didn’t run into the official. Talib told Troy Renck of the Denver Post he didn’t get an explanation of the call when confronting the ref after the game.

Nagging Injuries

The Denver defense had to play with and through some nagging injuries against the Colts. Linebacker DeMarcus Ware was generating a bit of pressure on Luck, but he had to leave the game early with a back injury. This is more than a bit troubling, as Ware had missed the Week 6 game against the Cleveland Browns due to a previous issue with his back.

Both cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and linebacker Brandon Marshall were evaluated for concussions during the game. They returned to the field, but their time away was problematic for the defense.

Summary

The Broncos were able to get to Luck—but often it was too late. The young quarterback did a good job of maximizing his time in the pocket as downfield routes developed. He took some big hits in the pocket and as a runner, and Luck’s toughness helped the Colts triumph on Sunday.

The Colts didn’t have fantastic success on the ground in terms of yardage or yards per carry. However, the time of possession battle was easily theirs, and that kept the Broncos defense on the field more than the ideal amount. As the team ran the ball consistently, it helped them convert on third downs in order to keep drives alive.

Penalties have been a problem for the Broncos defense this season. On Sunday, that flaw haunted them and helped cost them the game. They need to play with more discipline moving forward if they want to truly play up to their potential.

Did the Colts expose flaws in the Broncos defense? They certainly did. We’ll see how the Broncos now respond to their first loss of the season in the coming weeks. In Week 10, the Broncos return home to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Their division opponent is most certainly going to be ready after a bye in Week 9, and they should wisely take ideas from the Colts to use in the upcoming contest.

All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos media department unless otherwise noted. Advanced stats via ESPN's employees-only database.