Colts vs. Broncos: A Complete Guide to Sunday Night Football Week 1
The first Sunday of the 2014 NFL season ends with a bang.
On Sunday night two AFC heavyweights will duke it out in the Mile High City when the Indianapolis Colts battle the Denver Broncos.
It's a game rife with subplots and not just because both teams are considered serious contenders to make it to Glendale, Arizona, and Super Bowl XLIX.
There's the old guard against the young gun, with Peyton Manning of the Broncos dueling with Andrew Luck of the Colts.
There's Manning once again facing his old team. This time it will be with revenge in mind, as the Colts handed the Broncos their first loss of 2013 last October in Indianapolis.
Can Colts running back Trent Richardson hit the magical threshold of three yards a carry?
How will the Broncos handle the loss of wide receiver Wes Welker, suspended earlier this week for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drugs policy?
Are the nachos at Sports Authority Field great, good or nasty?
For answers to those questions and more, read on, as we've got a complete breakdown of Sunday night's big showdown.
What, Where, When: The Particulars
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What: Sunday Night Football Opener
Who: Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos
Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
When: 8:30 p.m. EDT
TV Coverage: NBC
The fans at Mile High Stadium (call it whatever you want; it's still Mile High Stadium) will no doubt be in full throttle Sunday night. After all, it's their first chance to cheer on their beloved Broncos since Denver was taken behind the woodshed by the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.
When last we saw the Colts, they were spending some time behind the woodshed themselves, pummeled into submission by running back LeGarrette Blount and the New England Patriots in the divisional round of last year's playoffs.
In other words, both teams have a demon or two to exorcise Sunday night.
The Stakes
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It's hard to put too much emphasis on any Week 1 game, but in many respects this remains an important contest for both teams.
For the Indianapolis Colts it's a chance to send a loud and clear message to the rest of the league that they're indeed in the thick of the chase for the Super Bowl.
It's a message the Colts got good at sending a year ago. In addition to downing the Broncos in Indianapolis in Week 7, the Colts also defeated the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Indy in Week 5. In Week 3, the Colts traveled to San Francisco and dominated the 49ers 27-7.
Still, for as good as the Colts are, most pundits consider them a second-tier team in the AFC.
That's because the Broncos are a tier unto themselves.
If you ask 100 people who will represent the AFC in Super Bowl XLIX, three-quarters (at least) would likely choose Denver.
After all, the Broncos were an offensive juggernaut last year. The team scored more points in 2013 than any team in NFL history. Peyton Manning rewrote the single-season record books at the quarterback position.
Throw in the additions the team made on defense, and you have the prohibitive favorite in the conference.
However, with increased expectations comes increased pressure. The Broncos aren't just supposed to win a lot of games. They're supposed to win every game.
The Broncos also have significantly less margin for error (on paper, at least) than the Colts.
In the AFC South last year, the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans combined to win 13 games.
In the AFC West, three teams (Denver, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers) made the playoffs.
If the Colts lose, everyone will say they were expected to. If the Broncos lose, talk radio on Monday will be all about "what's wrong with Denver?"
The Coaches
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In a way, it's ironic that all the talk leading up to Sunday night's game has been about the quarterbacks and offenses, because both head coaches in the game made names for themselves on the defensive side of the ball.
Last year was Chuck Pagano's second as head coach of the Colts, but it was for all intents and purposes his debut season.
That's because Pagano's first year at the helm in Indy was derailed by a fight with cancer, a battle that gave birth to the "Chuckstrong" movement that swept through Indianapolis (and all of the NFL) back in 2012.
As Nate Davis of USA Today reported, the movement started during an October game against the Green Bay Packers, when wide receiver Reggie Wayne took the field wearing orange gloves and an orange mouthpiece.
Orange is the color signifying leukemia awareness, and as Pagano told Davis, the gesture both resonated with him and shows the mentality he's tried to instill with the team:
"It's hard to talk about. What Reggie did that day — the gloves are on my mantle in my office at home. They're a great reminder of our whole mantra from Day 1 — always team first and self second. That was just overwhelming, humbling. He's a great, great player but a better person, better human being.
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In a way, Pagano's fight (he's now cancer-free) was almost a blessing of sorts. Coming off a disastrous 2011 season, it rallied the entire team, and the Colts are now one of the most tightly knit squads in the NFL.
Denver coach John Fox, entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Broncos, had a health scare of his own last year.
The 59-year-old underwent an aortic heart valve replacement last November, but Fox told Dan Hanzus of NFL.com that being away from the team for several weeks hurt more than going under the knife.
"I had open-heart surgery, and watching those games was harder than any pain I felt," Fox said.
Of course, there was a whole new sort of pain for Fox come February, even if it was a familiar one.
Denver's blowout loss to the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII was the second time a Fox-led team has come up short in football's biggest game.
Fox was also the head coach of the Carolina Panthers when they lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Maybe it's the "III" that keeps getting him.
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The New Faces
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Both the Colts and Broncos made significant additions in free agency.
Since Ryan Grigson took the reins as the general manager in Indianapolis, the Colts have been one of the most aggressive teams in the NFL in free agency, and 2014 was no different.
On offense, the Colts bolstered the receivers at Andrew Luck's disposal with the addition of veteran wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. Former teammate Victor Cruz told Mike Mazzeo of ESPN that Nicks is eager to prove the naysayers wrong after a disappointing 2013:
"I mean, anytime people say things like that and try to discuss your character, I think it takes a toll on anyone. I think it did for him, and I think it's something where he wants to prove people wrong. He wants to show that he's a team guy, show that he gives his all and everything for his teammates. And I think the fresh start for him in Indy is gonna be just that, so we'll see how it goes for him.
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The Colts also made a "splash" signing on the defensive side of the ball with the acquisition of inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson.
Jackson, who had 141 tackles for the Cleveland Browns in 2013, told Craig Kelley of the team's website he's looking forward to the chance to play for a winning team:
"If I still were in Cleveland. I’d still have the hardhat on and have the tunnel vision. I was afraid because I wanted to know what (winning) was about before I left the game. You want to enjoy it. This couldn’t be a better place. There’s no guarantee, but you see how we practice, what we talk about and it’s hard to put in words. It’s a sense of knowing, 'We’re going to get it done.'
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The offense is in pretty good shape in Denver, so the team focused its efforts in free agency on the defensive side of the ball.
In that respect, the team hit it big.
The Broncos added a trio of defensive stars in cornerback Aqib Talib, safety T.J. Ward and defensive end DeMarcus Ware. All three have been to the Pro Bowl.
As Ward told Lindsay Jones of USA Today, the plan is for the Denver defense to be every bit as unstoppable as the offense:
"We just want to match them. We want to be one of the best defenses ever, and we want to have some of the best defensive players ever on this defense. Make this the most complete team ever. We want to be one and one – the [No. 1] offense, [No. 1] defense.
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If that plan comes even close to fruition, the Colts (and the rest of the NFL) are going to be in more than a little trouble.
When the Colts Have the Ball
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The Colts are certainly a team with no shortage of talent in the passing game. Andrew Luck is already one of the NFL's best quarterbacks, and at only 24 years old the third-year pro is still growing as a player.
As Peyton Manning's successor in Indianapolis, the two will forever be linked in a way, but head coach Chuck Pagano told Zak Keefer of The Indy Star that Luck has never let Manning's long shadow affect him:
"I don't think from day one he was overwhelmed with (replacing Manning). We all talked about it. Everyone wrote about it. It went right over his head because he was so focused on the job and the task ahead. I think we all understand the enormity of what went down … (but) he understood he had a job to do. His focus was on being the best quarterback he could be.
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Of course, it hasn't hurt Luck's development that in T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne and now Nicks, the Colts have one of the league's better receiving corps.
Sunday night's game is especially important for Wayne, who will be returning to action after tearing his ACL in last year's matchup with the Broncos.
Wayne told Larry Hawley of Fox 59 that he can't wait for game time:
"That’s another reason why I’m excited that the regular season is here. I can finally go out there and show everybody that I’m ready, that I’m healed, and hopefully these ACL questions will kind of be put to bed a little bit. So let’s knock on wood and make sure everything stays the course and go out there and play a good football game.
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Now if the team could only run the ball.
Since coming over in a trade with the Cleveland Browns last year, Trent Richardson has been a huge disappointment. The third-year tailback averaged fewer than three yards a carry last year, and after an offseason of assurances that 2014 would be different, Richardson's average actually dropped to 2.6 yards a pop in the preseason.
Still, Mike Wells of ESPN.com hasn't completely given up hope on the former third overall pick:
"Richardson might never live up to the expectations of being the No. 3 overall pick in 2012, but I see him having a productive season. Am I saying he'll rush for 1,300 yards? No, but I can see him finishing with about 1,000 yards.
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It would be in the Colts' best interests to establish the run Sunday night for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that Manning can't light up his old team from the sideline.
It's not going to be easy though. The interior of the Colts line has been hit hard by injuries and struggled in the preseason, and center Khaled Holmes is highly questionable for the game after missing practice on Friday.
When the Broncos Have the Ball
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The Denver Broncos were an offensive juggernaut of historic proportions last year. They are led by a quarterback who some consider the greatest to ever play the position.
Still, the team isn't without questions on offense.
For starters, after the departure of running back Knowshon Moreno in free agency, there's a new lead back in Denver in the personage of second-year pro Montee Ball.
Ball missed time in camp after undergoing an appendectomy, but the 23-year-old told Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post he's ready for a full workload against the Colts Sunday night:
"I hope 30 (carries). Twenty, 30, whatever. But we have a great offensive coordinator (in Gase), and whatever he calls, we have faith it's going to work if it's executed. My biggest difference this year is confidence. Last year, I was real timid and afraid to make a mistake, but this year, I know mistakes are going to happen. It's how you deal with them, how you react to them. I'm a lot more confident. ... I'm antsy, ready to go, anxious in a good way. Most definitely well-prepared, really excited, really, really excited.
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Wide receiver Eric Decker also left the team in free agency, with the team bringing in Emmanuel Sanders to fill the void. Sanders has been battling a quadriceps injury, but the fifth-year veteran assured Andrew Mason of the team's website that he's ready to roll Sunday night:
"In Pittsburgh, I didn't run this much. And not only that, I think I worked myself into a strain of staying after practice, running a lot of routes, just wanting to be good, just wanting to be great. Sometimes I've got to know that I'm a car, and you can only put a certain amount of mileage on a car before it starts to break down, so you live and then you learn, I guess.
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The four-game suspension levied against Wes Welker to start the season places additional pressure on Sanders early in the year, but with star wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas also on the field Manning is hardly hurting for receiving targets.
The biggest "addition" to the Denver offense isn't really an addition at all. After playing in only two games last year due to a foot injury, left tackle Ryan Clady is back for the team.
Team president John Elway told ESPN's Jeff Legwold that the importance of Clady's return can't be overstated:
"I always felt like if you knew the back side wasn't going to be a problem, as a quarterback you could have more confidence about your ability to get some things done back there. Ryan gives us that kind of player.
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Mind you, Denver's offensive line was eighth in run blocking and first in pass protection last year, according to Football Outsiders, without Clady.
If that line is even better this year and Manning has all day to survey the field? There's going to be a lot of defenses getting carved to pieces in 2014.
Key 1-on-1 Matchups
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Colts LT Anthony Castonzo vs. Broncos DE DeMarcus Ware
Given Richardson's struggles running the ball since joining the Colts, odds are that Indianapolis is going to have to take to the air to move the ball.
That makes it imperative the Colts offensive line gives Luck time to throw the ball, which in turn places a great deal of pressure on left tackle Anthony Castonzo.
The 26-year-old Castonzo, who ranked outside the top 50 offensive tackles in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), is going to have his hands full and then some with Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware, who looks like his old self after an injury-marred 2013 campaign with the Denver Broncos.
According to Mike Chappell of The Indy Star, head coach Chuck Pagano called Ware "a game-wrecker."
That should make Castonzo feel better.
Colts WR Reggie Wayne vs. Broncos CB Chris Harris
The matchup of Denver cornerback Aqib Talib on Indianapolis wideout T.Y. Hilton may be garnering the headlines, but given Talib's ability to take receivers out of the game the more important matchup for the Colts may be taking place on the other side of the field.
It's a battle between a pair of players returning from ACL tears. We've already mentioned that Wayne is chomping at the bit to get back in action, but Harris is every bit as eager to put last year's injury in the rearview mirror.
Harris told Andrew Mason of the team's website that it's important given Luck's mobility that the Denver cornerbacks maintain their composure as plays unfold:
"So we know with Andrew Luck running around," Harris said, "we've got to plaster—and 'plaster' means we've got to lock onto our guys immediately when we see him out of the pocket, because it's going to happen."
Colts OLB Bjoern Werner vs. Broncos OT Ryan Clady
One of the biggest keys to the Colts' win over the Broncos last year was the team's ability to harass Manning.
This year, with Clady back and outside linebacker Robert Mathis (who led the NFL with 19.5 sacks in 2013) serving a four-game suspension, that's not going to be easy.
That places a lot on the shoulders of second-year pro Bjoern Werner, but in the opinion of Bleacher Report AFC South Lead Writer Rivers McCown the Colts may be in trouble in that regard:
"Werner could compile 20 hurries if he hits the starting lineup all season. Head coach Chuck Pagano is that good at scheming unblocked players. However, Werner will only rarely be able to beat an offensive lineman on his own with what he has shown so far.
That's a problem for a team that desperately needs a pass rush from him, especially for the first four games of the season.
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Toss in that Clady was the fourth-best tackle in the NFL at protecting the quarterback during his last full season in 2012, per PFF, and this battle is an uphill one for Werner and the Colts.
X-Factors
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Colts RB Ahmad Bradshaw
We've already been over the fact that Trent Richardson has not exactly been an effective ball-carrier since joining the Colts (or at any point in the NFL for that matter).
In fact, just the other day here at Bleacher Report, some kook suggested the Colts would be best served to hand the keys in the ground game over to Ahmad Bradshaw.
What a weirdo.
Here's the thing though. If the Colts are going to pull off the upset in Denver, then they have to run the ball. Not just to move the chains but also to control the clock and keep Manning off the field.
Given everything we've seen from Richardson this year, Indy's best odds of doing so probably lie with Bradshaw, who is also a better receiver and a far superior pass-blocker.
Broncos WR Cody Latimer
With Wes Welker sitting in his room and thinking about what he's allegedly done, the Broncos have a hole at wide receiver. While seventh-year veteran Andre Caldwell will likely draw the "start" in three-wide sets, it's Latimer who could wind up making the bigger impact.
Bleacher Report's Cecil Lammey, who's as plugged in to all things Broncos as any writer in the business, thinks Welker's suspension gives the rookie second-rounder the perfect opportunity to show what he can do:
"Latimer is bigger, more versatile and a better blocker than Caldwell. The rookie has the makings of a star in this league. The Broncos won’t be able to hold this talent down for long.
Latimer has a real opportunity to impress over the first four games of the year. The talent is there, and the Broncos might accelerate the original schedule they had for developing the rookie over the 2014 season.
Simply put—Latimer is the future for the Broncos, and the future is now.
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Latimer is a very similar player to Eric Decker, and Sunday night gives the youngster a fantastic chance to shine on a prime-time stage against a so-so group of Colts cornerbacks.
Colts TE Dwayne Allen
2013 was a lost year for Allen, who suffered a season-ending hip injury on his first catch against the Oakland Raiders.
Allen is healthy and ready for Sunday night's game, but it's not the receiving skills of the third-year pro that will be badly needed against the Broncos.
We've already established Anthony Castonzo is going to have his hands full keeping DeMarcus Ware off Luck. Things won't be a bit easier on the strong side, where Gosder Cherilus faces a similarly tall task against Denver outside linebacker Von Miller.
They're going to need help, and that's where Allen comes in.
Allen is a far superior blocker to fellow tight end Coby Fleener. In 2012, only Joel Dreessen of the Denver Broncos graded out higher in pass protection at Pro Football Focus than Allen.
Prediction
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When the Colts and Broncos met last year, just about everything that could go right for the Colts did.
The Colts defense harassed Manning all night, sacking him four times and forcing four turnovers. Two of those turnovers led to 16 Indianapolis points, and Ronnie Hillman's late fumble squashed any chances of a Denver comeback.
On the surface, Manning's 29-of-49 passing for 386 yards and three touchdowns (with one interception) looks impressive enough, but Manning was uncharacteristically erratic early in the game.
Add it all up, and it equaled an early hole for the Broncos. Denver trailed 26-14 at halftime and 33-17 at the end of the third quarter.
As Manning told The Associated Press (via NFL.com) it wasn't exactly a shining moment for the team:
"This is a game we need to learn from. We, I guess, had four turnovers and still somehow had a chance to win that game. I would have liked to have seen it go to a two-point game down there toward the end and see what would have happened, but it never quite got to that point. You can go back to different parts of the game and we got behind, mistakes there, but we still had a chance there at the end. We certainly have to improve from this game because we weren't as sharp execution-wise as we'd like to be.
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And even then the Broncos very nearly came back.
This year much is different. The game is in Denver. The Colts have looked shaky up front on both sides of the ball in the preseason. Outside linebacker Robert Mathis, who sacked his former teammate twice last year (including a strip-sack that led to a safety), will miss the game due to a four-game suspension.
Throw in an improved Denver defense and the "revenge factor" (don't think for a second Manning hasn't had this game circled on the calendar for months), and the tables are about to be turned on the Colts.
In fact, don't be a bit surprised if Manning flips that table over, snaps off a leg and uses it to beat Indianapolis senseless.
Manning and the Broncos roll at home.
Broncos 38, Colts 20
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