Colts at Denver... What are the experts saying?

[Guess Who]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...envers-chances


Where the Colts are the better team remains a mystery. The Broncos have the better quarterback, the better running back, a better group of wide receivers (even with Wes Welker suspended) and a much better offensive line. With the Colts' Robert Mathis suspended this week, the Broncos clearly have the better group of pass-rushers. Their linebackers and secondary are also better than what Indy has to offer.
There’s a possibility this game comes down to the wire (Brandon McManus game-winning kick anyone?), but the Broncos would have to play a mistake-filled game for that to happen.


Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

If Denver plays up to its potential—with a few speed bumps along the way—it should be able to easily take care of business at home.


<table><caption>Colts vs. Broncos Picks</caption> <tbody><tr class="odd"> <td class="">Expert</td> <td class="">Affiliation</td> <td class="">Pick</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Pete Prisco</td> <td class="">CBS Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Jason LaCanfora</td> <td class="">CBS Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Will Brinson</td> <td class="">CBS Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Gregg Rosenthal</td> <td class="">NFL Network</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Marc Sessler</td> <td class="">NFL Network</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Chris Wesseling</td> <td class="">NFL Network</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Mike Garafolo</td> <td class="">Fox Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Alex Marvez</td> <td class="">Fox Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Brendon Ayanbadejo</td> <td class="">Fox Sports</td> <td class="">Colts</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Vinnie Iyer</td> <td class="">Sporting News</td> <td class="">Colts</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Bleacher Report Experts</td> <td class="">Bleacher Report</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Adam Schefter</td> <td class="">ESPN</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Mark Schlereth</td> <td class="">ESPN</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Chris Mortensen</td> <td class="">ESPN</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Ron Jaworski</td> <td class="">ESPN</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Mike Florio</td> <td class="">Pro Football Talk</td> <td class="">Broncos


</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Guess Who]

For the third year in a row, the Denver Broncos will open their season in prime time.

Indianapolis and Denver met on Sunday Night Football in Week 7 last year, and the two teams will open the 2014 season in the same spot. Denver will be hoping for a good result as it kicks off its season at Sports Authority Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Broncos are coming off a successful preseason, looking every bit like a team hungry to return to the Super Bowl.
Colt/Bropncos Preview

The Denver offense should put up plenty of points, as it has in recent years, but the defense will look much different.

Free-agent acquisitions DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward will play their first games in Denver in an extended role, and we may get a glimpse of a much more physical Denver defense.

If there has been a team that has had the Broncos' number in recent years, it has been the Colts. Indianapolis has won the last six meetings between the teams. Denver's last win in the series came in January 2005.

We have a closer look at this game, including key matchups and other news to get you ready for the Broncos beginning their defense of the AFC championship.

Click here to view the breakdown of the game.....slideshow format: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...1-game-preview

[Guess Who]

Colts/Broncos Sporting News game of the week.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/stor...=NFLFront_DL_1

[Flacko]

Damn 9 years! I would love to see the Broncos destroy the Colts. Peyton Manning tosses for 3 TD, oh the irony!

[Guess Who]

Colts/Broncos Mile High Report preview

http://www.milehighreport.com/2014/9...r-game-preview



It is very good if you have not read it.

Me likey the sound of this.

Perhaps the biggest concern heading into the season is the flux on the interior of the offensive line. Hugh Thornton moves from right to left guard replacing Mike McGlynn, 2nd year player Khaled Holmes (who is banged up and listed on the Colts injury report) takes over for Samson Satele at center, and rookie Jack Mewhort takes over for Thornton at left guard. This re-vamped group in the middle is heading into a hornets nest in the Broncos interior DL which is so talented and deep.

[Guess Who]

Damn 9 years! I would love to see the Broncos destroy the Colts. Peyton Manning tosses for 3 TD, oh the irony!

5 TDs....book it DANO!!!

[spdirty]

For the third year in a row, the Denver Broncos will open their season in prime time.

4th year in a row. Remember Orton shat the bed against Oakland on MNF in 2011, the Tebow year.

[Kevin8Nine]

I hope peyton leaves their team and fans feeling like crap for tossing PFM in the trash bin.

37- 3

[Kid A]

4th year in a row. Remember Orton shat the bed against Oakland on MNF in 2011, the Tebow year.

To be a little fair to Orton, I believe that was also the first game under Fox/Elway and generally one of the worst played football games I had ever seen Denver play in across the board. I remember a ton of penalties and massive ineptness by both teams. Kind of stunning that team would get it together under Tebow Time for a late playoff run.

Actually just looked this game up, and the lead video is fans chanting for Tebow

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/201109...3fe3&tab=recap

[Traveler]

Denver DL must "dominate"this Colts injury ravaged OL.........period! Anything less is unacceptable.

[theAPAOps5]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...envers-chances


Where the Colts are the better team remains a mystery. The Broncos have the better quarterback, the better running back, a better group of wide receivers (even with Wes Welker suspended) and a much better offensive line. With the Colts' Robert Mathis suspended this week, the Broncos clearly have the better group of pass-rushers. Their linebackers and secondary are also better than what Indy has to offer.
There’s a possibility this game comes down to the wire (Brandon McManus game-winning kick anyone?), but the Broncos would have to play a mistake-filled game for that to happen.


Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

If Denver plays up to its potential—with a few speed bumps along the way—it should be able to easily take care of business at home.


<table><caption>Colts vs. Broncos Picks</caption> <tbody><tr class="odd"> <td class="">Expert</td> <td class="">Affiliation</td> <td class="">Pick</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Pete Prisco</td> <td class="">CBS Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Jason LaCanfora</td> <td class="">CBS Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Will Brinson</td> <td class="">CBS Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Gregg Rosenthal</td> <td class="">NFL Network</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Marc Sessler</td> <td class="">NFL Network</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Chris Wesseling</td> <td class="">NFL Network</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Mike Garafolo</td> <td class="">Fox Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Alex Marvez</td> <td class="">Fox Sports</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Brendon Ayanbadejo</td> <td class="">Fox Sports</td> <td class="">Colts</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Vinnie Iyer</td> <td class="">Sporting News</td> <td class="">Colts</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Bleacher Report Experts</td> <td class="">Bleacher Report</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Adam Schefter</td> <td class="">ESPN</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Mark Schlereth</td> <td class="">ESPN</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Chris Mortensen</td> <td class="">ESPN</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td class="">Ron Jaworski</td> <td class="">ESPN</td> <td class="">Broncos</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td class="">Mike Florio</td> <td class="">Pro Football Talk</td> <td class="">Broncos


</td></tr></tbody></table>

Florio is such a homer

[JCMElway]

I don't know why, but Vinnie Iyer has always hated Denver.

[Guess Who]

NBC's Preview of game is very good as well.

http://www.nbcsports.com/now-manning...duel-successor

Andre Luck (Colts QB) vs. Peyton Manning (Broncos QB)
They’re not facing off, per se, but Luck and Manning represent the past and the future of the game’s premier position. They also operate two different offensive schemes, with Denver’s designed to maximize Manning’s ability to read the defense before the snap and deliver short, quick passes to exploit one-on-one matchups. In Indy, coordinator Pep Hamilton continues to insist on a run-based offense despite five legitimate targets in the passing game and a quarterback in Luck who’s the most-advanced passer at his age in NFL history. Last year’s matchup was a bit of a letdown, with Denver being held to 17 points before pulling off a late push against a soft Indy defense. Here’s hoping for an aerial showdown Sunday night.
FINAL ANALYSIS
Losing Welker saps some effectiveness out of the Broncos' offense, but they’ve known about the pending suspension for quite a while and spent training camp and the preseason preparing multiple weapons. If the Colts spread the Broncos out defensively and exploit the absence of Trevathan, Luck should be able to keep them in the game, possibly even help them steal it. Yet if Hamilton insists on trying to trot out Richardson and Bradshaw and trying to bleed the clock, the Colts will find themselves in an insurmountable hole. In the end, Manning, the two Thomases and second-year back Montee Ball will be too tough for Indy to stop and the Colts will wait too long to open it up.
Pick: Broncos 34, Colts 27

I don't see the Colts scoring 27 points though...

If they try to spread Denver out VonWare will destroy Luck. They need to protect Luck if they want to win.