Colts vs. Broncos: TV Coverage, Live Stream Schedule and Final Predictions

If only an interesting storyline existed for the Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts playoff clash.

Hey, Peyton Manning used to play for the Colts, so there's something. After taking his old squad to 11 postseasons, the future Hall of Famer now must eliminate them to stand a chance of securing his second Super Bowl title. In his way stands Andrew Luck, who looks to match his predecessor's impeccable reputation by usurping the legend on Sunday afternoon.

As an added treat, a bunch of other guys will play football alongside Manning and Luck. Although Monday's narratives will focus on Luck's ascension to stardom/inability to win the big one or Manning's last chance at glory/inability to win the big one, some other players will also decipher which club travels to face the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

No. 4 Indianapolis Colts at No. 2 Denver Broncos

When: Sunday, Jan. 11 at 4:40 p.m. ET

Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO

TV: CBS

Live Stream: CBSSports.com

Preview

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Anyone who stopped paying attention over the final month missed Denver transition into a completely different offense. Ever since scoring seven points—the lowest tally since Manning joined the team in 2012—against the St. Louis Rams, a team with arguably the greatest quarterback ever is leaning on an undrafted running back.

Since that Week 11 loss to St. Louis, Manning has thrown the ball 31.7 times per game, down from the previous 40.7 average. In turn, C.J. Anderson has received 23.3 handoffs over the past six contests, averaging 4.6 yards per carry with eight rushing touchdowns.

Per DenverBroncos.com's David DeChant, Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano discussed his No. 18 rushing defense's matchup against the emerging runner:

"

There are a lot of yards gained after contact with C.J. His legs are always moving, he’s got a great jump cut, he’s got good vision, he’s got make-miss ability. He can create his own yards when there’s nothing there. We’ve got to play very, very disciplined on the defensive side of the football and be gap-sound. We better tackle. We’ve got to bring our big boy pads.

"

The switch has caused murmurs about Manning's health, but there's nothing but blind speculation fueling those chirps. After throwing 54 times and losing to St. Louis, John Fox simply appears to have overreacted, perhaps even to keep his 38-year-old fresh for the playoffs.

Losing Julius Thomas also forced the issue. The towering tight end, who scored three touchdowns during the season-opener against the Colts, sustained an ankle injury during the St. Louis upset. Including that game, he collected five catches for 66 yards through the remainder of the year, missing three games altogether with the ailment.

In those three contests, Manning averaged 6.84 yards per attempt, down from his 7.92 season average. Losing the red-zone fiend also prompted Fox to give Anderson more goal-line touches. When Manning instead turned to top wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, the results have not been pretty.

ESPN Stats & Info documented their troubles:

A well-timed bye gave the tight end an extra week to recover, and an impactful game from him spells big trouble for the Colts, who felt his wrath in Week 1. The Broncos won't abandon their new-found rushing prowess but expect them to open up the passing game a bit more again.

As for the Colts, the league's most one-dimensional offense opened up the ground game with 114 rushing yards against the Cincinnati Bengals. After a year of sticking with the awfully inefficient Trent Richardson, they finally ditched the failed first-rounder for Daniel Herron, who gained 141 total yards.

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Luck praised his teammate to DeChant.

“[He’s] very dynamic and can really do everything well,” Luck said. “The checkdowns, the protection, running the football. He can burst it and take it 80 to the end zone. He can get the tough yards. So he’s been a lot of fun to play with.”

Unfortunately for Indy, Denver ranks second against the run compared to Cincinnati's No. 20 allotment. However, the Broncos also wield two ferocious cornerbacks in Chris Harris and Aqib Talib along with monster pass-rushers capable of disrupting Luck's flow.

Given Herron's two fumbles last weekend, Luck will likely be pushed to throw over 50 times again, as he did in their regular-season meeting. That approach resulted in three sacks and two picks during a 31-24 loss.

Neither prolific quarterback will get shut down in Denver, but Manning's crew sparks a more balanced attack alongside a better defense. Indianapolis looked strong against a battered Bengals unit missing star wideout A.J. Green, but no such luck exists this Sunday.

Prediction: Broncos 30, Colts 24