Know Your Enemy: Five Questions on the Colts vs. Broncos
By Evan Massey
Oct 20, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker (87) loses his helmet as he is tackled by Indianapolis Colts defenders Jerrell Freeman (50) , Antoine Bethea (41) and Cassius Vaughn (32) int he 4th quarter during the game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The Indianapolis Colts are going to be facing the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football, and are going to have an uphill battle to fight. Despite having a good amount of talent on their roster, the Broncos have loaded up for a Super Bowl run themselves. Peyton Manning is leading the way, and newly added Aqib Talib and DeMarcus Ware are looking to make things much more difficult for Andrew Luck than it was last season with Indianapolis knocked off the Broncos.
All of that being said, Colts fans should know exactly what to look for from the Broncos in Sunday night. Here are five questions with fellow FanSided website, Predominantly Orange, that covers everything Broncos. Their editor Sayre Bedinger was willing to take a few minutes of his time to answer some questions for us.
1. What do you see the Broncos doing to defend Andrew Luck and the Colts’ aerial attack?
A. The first order of business is going to be pressuring Luck. The Broncos’ defensive front is as good as it’s ever been, and ready to establish itself as one of the best in pro football. Led by defensive captains DeMarcus Ware and Terrance Knighton, the Broncos have Von Miller coming back from injury, breakout candidate Sylvester Williams, and a number of young players returning from injury who expect to make a significant impact. Outside of that, the Broncos invested heavily in the secondary, signing Aqib Talib (CB) and T.J. Ward (S) as well as using a first round pick on Bradley Roby (CB). Chris Harris Jr. is also coming back from injury, along with Rahim Moore. The Broncos figure to be strong defensively, especially against the pass.
2. What are the expectations from the Broncos’ running game?
A. Huge expectations, especially for Montee Ball. Knowshon Moreno put up 1,000 yards last season, and Ball is far more talented. He has the ability to be a 1200 yard rusher as well as a 12 touchdown guy, and also adds value in the passing game. The running game will be a supplement to the passing offense, to be sure, but the Broncos and Peyton Manning are extremely confident they’ve secured a guy in Ball who can tote the rock. They also love their depth with Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson.
3. What players could step up for the Broncos on Sunday night that the common fan hasn’t heard of?
A. Get ready for a strong dose of Andre Caldwell and Brandon Marshall. You think you’ve heard of Brandon Marshall, but his story for the Broncos has only begun. Caldwell will take the lion’s share of reps left behind by Wes Welker, and Marshall is starting in place of Danny Trevathan at weakside linebacker.
4. What players on the Colts do you see being the most dangerous for the Broncos’ defense?
A. The Broncos struggled last year giving up big plays, so naturally I fear T.Y. Hilton. I’m also really interested to see how Dwayne Allen comes back this year from his injury. He is a really good player. But, I’ll stop beating around the bush and just say Andrew Luck is the one player that really concerns me. His ability to escape pressure, always keeping his eyes downfield, making smart decisions…It’s like playing against a young, athletic Manning. The Broncos will have to rattle him.
5. What is your prediction for Sunday’s game?
A. I see the Broncos winning this one. As much as I like Andrew Luck, I think this Denver team is poised for something big. They are so talented. The Colts’ offensive line is a question mark for me, as is the secondary going up against Denver’s star-studded cast. The return of Ryan Clady will help keep Robert Mathis at bay (hopefully) and I think Denver comes away from this week 1-0.
Unfortunately, Mathis will not be playing on Sunday night due to the suspension that he received from the NFL. Denver will have to deal with Bjoern Werner, who has been extremely impressive in training camp and preseason action so far. It’s going to be a very fun game for both teams involved, but we hope that Sayre’s final prediction doesn’t turn out to be correct.