NFL Playoffs 2015: TV Schedule, Early Odds and Predictions for Divisional Round

NFL referees can take back flags, but no official can erase this weekend's epic divisional round slate.

Shady calls and untimely injuries dominated Wild Card Weekend, which saw three division winners advance and the Pittsburgh Steelers sent packing. An ugly week of football—kudos to true fans who survived the Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers abomination falsely advertised as a playoff game—now clears the way for the true contenders (and the Panthers) vying for a spot in the NFL's final four.

All four matchups offer a spoonful of intrigue, but the main event will steal the week's headlines. In order to earn a trip to his first AFC Championship Game, Andrew Luck must lead the Indianapolis Colts to victory over the legend who took them to two Super Bowls. 

After riding on his coattails for years, will the Colts stick a fork in Peyton Manning's quest for a title with the Denver Broncos? Oh, I'm supposed to answer that question. Well, let's take a look.

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV	Odds	Predicted Winner	Pick ATS
Saturday, Jan. 10	Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots	4:35 p.m.	NBC	NE -7	NE	NE
Saturday, Jan. 10	Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks	8:15 p.m.	FOX	SEA -11	SEA	CAR
Sunday, Jan. 11	Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers	1:05 p.m.	FOX	GB -6.5	GB	DAL
Saturday, Jan. 10	Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos	4:40 p.m.	NBC	DEN -7	DEN	IND

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark as of Monday, Jan. 5 at 12:30 p.m. ET

Game of the Week: Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos

Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Continuing to craft an impressive playoff resume, Luck burned the Cincinnati Bengals for 376 passing yards and a score during Indianapolis' 26-10 Wild Card Round win. The 25-year-old has now compiled 1,432 passing yards during four postseason games, a mark that ESPN Stats & Info labeled a record.

Yet Sunday proved his best showing yet, as he went an efficient 31-of-44 without any turnovers, a major problem for him in past playoffs affairs. When facing Denver in Week 1, he surrendered two picks while throwing the ball 53 times, and he'll likely have to withstand another massive workload.

Before going any further, Luck would prefer to take it easy on the "past vs. future" narrative under center. As he aptly told ESPN.com's Mike Wells, this isn't a one-on-one showdown:

"

It's not the quarterback-versus-quarterback thing. We're not on the field at the same time. I have a lot of respect for him, what he does, what he still does is amazing. He's a stud. I'll worry about the Denver defense. That's what I'll worry about.

"

Some help on the ground would certainly help both passers. Denver ranks No. 2 in rushing defense, allowing 79.8 yards per game on 3.7 yards per carry. A week ago, the Colts would have figured to stand zero chance gaining anything on the ground, but they made a move that was more than a year overdue by benching Trent Richardson.

Turns out an offense performs better without a guy averaging 3.3 yards per rush. Who would have guessed it? Finally given the full spotlight, Daniel "Boom" Herron finally gave the Colts an explosive weapon from the backfield. Back to ESPN Stats & Info to put his 141 total yards into perspective.

Unfortunately, he also fumbled twice, hardly a new problem for someone who coughed the ball up twice more during the season. The second loose ball expelled him to the bench for Zurlon Tipton, who gained just 40 yards on 11 handoffs.

If head coach Chuck Pagano sticks with Tipton—or, worse off, reverts to Richardson—Luck will have to throw 50 times again. Ball security aside, Herron remains Indianapolis' biggest backfield threat by a mile, and another huge outing from the sophomore is vital to executing an upset.

A healthy balance is essential during winter football. After Manning fired 45 throws during a surprising Week 11 loss to the St. Louis Rams, Denver head coach John Fox changed gears, giving C.J. Anderson 22.5 handoffs a game since that hiccup.

Football Outsiders' Scott Kacsmar tracked the results.

The Bengals are receiving flak for giving Jeremy Hill 13 touches while Andy Dalton fried under center without A.J. Green. Manning is no Dalton, but Anderson should inflict more damage than Hill's 47 yards against Indianapolis' No. 18 rushing defense.

Over that stretch, he has tallied 4.6 yards a rush with eight touchdowns. During that same frame, Manning has offered 7.5 yards per attempt—subdued for his lofty standards. Denver tried, but failed, to run it in Week 1, but now Anderson gets the ball instead of the disappointing Montee Ball.

With star cornerback Vontae Davis shadowing Demaryius Thomas, Denver's other Thomas target becomes this weekend's biggest X-factor. Julius Thomas teased everyone by opening 2014 with 104 yards and three touchdowns on the Colts, but his transcendent play vanished.

Stats	Weeks 1-6	Weeks 7-17
Games Played	5	8
Receptions	24	19
Targets	29	31
Receiving YDs	277	212
TDs	9	3

Per ESPN.com, the Colts surrendered 83 catches, 954 yards and 10 touchdowns to opposing tight ends during the season. Cincinnati could not expose that weakness with Jermaine Gresham sidelined, but the Broncos will have their starter available.

Although he admitted to ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold that his ankle injury continues to bother him, the huge touchdown threat hopes the extra week off will help heal him back to full strength:

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

"

I definitely needed this bye. I'm looking forward to it. It'll just give me an opportunity to focus on rehab. When you're practicing and playing, it's kind of hard. It's a little bit of give and take. So this next week, it'll be big for me from a recovery standpoint.

"

His resurgence would put Denver over the top against an Indianapolis squad that is 1-3 with a minus-53 point differential against the remaining playoff teams. As a reward for enduring a week of Manning vs. Colts storylines, fans will likely get drowned in Manning vs. Tom Brady debates.

Prediction: Broncos 30, Colts 24