NFL Playoffs: Predicting the divisional round
By Evan Massey
Indianapolis Colts vs. Denver Broncos
Perhaps the most intriguing matchup of the divisional playoff round is between the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos. Obviously this means that Peyton Manning will be facing his former team, and Andrew Luck will have yet another chance to prove that Jim Irsay and the Colts’ franchise made the right decision.
These two teams met up to open the season on September 7th, and the Broncos narrowly escaped with a 31-24 victory. Indianapolis got behind early and they were unable to make the comeback. It is going to be a very intense atmosphere in Denver, and both teams will be playing with a bit extra with all of the stories flying around about the game.
Indianapolis has the top ranked passing offense in the NFL, while the Broncos rank fourth. The Broncos have a major advantage on the ground, ranking 15th while the Colts ranked just 22nd. Defensively, the Broncos are one of the best teams in the league while the Colts are extremely mediocre.
Simply having the opportunity to watch a game that features both Luck and Manning is entertaining, and there will be plenty of points scored between the two teams. Denver is still a much better football team due to their defense, and the Colts’ secondary is going to have major issues with Manning and the passing attack.
Expect to see the Broncos come away with a win, but the Colts are going to be in the game until the fourth quarter. These two teams know each other very well, and it will come down to which team executes their game plan better.