Colts at Broncos: Highlights, score and recap

The Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos battled it out in a classic AFC rivalry, and the Broncos throttled the Colts, 34-20.

The Denver Broncos defense is going to have to be good if the team is going to win in 2016, and they certainly were all of that and more on Sunday. Any time you have to face a quarterback like Andrew Luck, you could be in for a long day, but the Denver defense was able to hold him in check for most of the game. The first half featured only one touchdown, as C.J. Anderson scored on the ground for the second time in two weeks.

Indianapolis finally scored a touchdown in the third quarter, with Robert Turbin ran one in from five yards out. After Brandon McManus hit his third field goal of the game, the two teams headed to the final frame, 16-13.

The biggest play of the game came in the fourth quarter, when Aqib Talib picked off Luck and ran it back 46 yards for a touchdown. The pick-six put Denver up by 10, but Luck and company were not going to go away quietly. On the next possession, Luck hit Frank Gore for a seven-yard touchdown, pulling to within three points.

That would be as close at the Colts would come, as the Broncos scored 10 unanswered to end the game. It was a 34-20 victory for the Broncos, who moved their record to 2-0 on the young season.

Highlights

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/777628020924309504

3 Stars

1. Denver Defense

The Broncos defense was as good as advertised on Sunday, as they held one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL to a very pedestrian game. Andrew Luck threw for under 200 yards against the Broncos, who once again were able to corral a Pro Bowl quarterback. Luck did throw for a touchdown, but not until late in the game.

Not only did the defense hold Luck in check, but they also made the most of their opportunities. Aqib Talib took one back to the house to put the team up by ten points in the third quarter, and really took the wind out of the Colts sails. They have a punishing defense, and at 2-0, may actually take the AFC West again in 2016.

Denver has a young quarterback, who has proven to be a bit inconsistent during the first two weeks of the season. The fact that their defense can keep them in games is going to be huge for the team going forward. On Sunday, they proved it does not matter who they play, they are going to dominate.

2. C.J. Anderson

The Broncos knew they would need a good game out of C.J. Anderson if they wanted to come away with the victory, and that is exactly what they got. Anderson did a little bit of everything for the second straight week, helping lead the Broncos to win No. 2. He scored a rushing touchdown for the second straight week, and also played a role in the passing game.

Denver was hoping they would get good production out of him when they released Ronnie Hillman during the offseason, and Anderson has responded. He has been a great safety valve for Trevor Siemian, and appears ready to shoulder the load in 2016.

Anderson is a hard runner who can run over or around the opposition. On Sunday, he had to be accounted for every time he was on the field, leading to some good opportunities for Siemian. The Broncos look like a team to beat in 2016, and Anderson is playing a huge role in that.

3. Demaryius Thomas

Denver did not know if they were going to have Thomas for the game on Sunday, as he was listed as active a few hours before kickoff. Thomasd had been dealing with an injury during practice this week, and was even held out on Thursday. He appeared to be fully healthy on Sunday, giving Siemian his best option.

Thomas caught five balls for 90 yards, while drawing attention his way throughout. The Broncos passing game was not great on Sunday, but having Thomas on the field did make a difference in moving the chains. He is a play-maker, and teams know he can go the distance on every play.

The Broncos are going to need a healthy Thomas going forward if they hope to keep their winning ways. He is regarded as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and with an inexperienced quarterback, the team needs all the weapons they can get. Emmanuel Sanders is a nice No. 2 guy, but he is not the weapon that Thomas is.

Next: 2016 NFL season: Epic season preview

Odds

The Denver Broncos are a six-point home favorite in their battle against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The over/under is set at 44, which could be blown away if the Colts can move the ball against a tough Broncos defense.

Next Week

In a possible AFC playoff matchup, the Denver Broncos will travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in Week 3. The Colts will head back home, as they welcome the San Diego Chargers to Indianapolis.