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Indianapolis Colts: 5 reasons they can knock off the Broncos

By Evan Massey

Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Dan Herron (36) is congratulated by quarterback Andrew Luck (12) after scoring a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first quarter in the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Dan Herron (36) is congratulated by quarterback Andrew Luck (12) after scoring a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first quarter in the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Dan Herron (36) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Emmanuel Lamur (59) in the first quarter in the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Dan Herron (36) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Emmanuel Lamur (59) in the first quarter in the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

2. An Improved Rushing Attack

During the Week 1 game between these two teams, the Indianapolis Colts were led in rushing by Trent Richardson. Richardson finished that game with just 20 yards on six carries, and the Colts as a team totaled just 54 yards on the ground with Andrew Luck picking up 19 of them.

Fast forward to this coming week against the Denver Broncos, and the Colts have a much improved rushing attack. Dan “Boom” Herron has come a long way for the Colts, and has taken over the starting job from Richardson. He has provided them with a much-needed burst of energy and speed, and will give the Colts a chance to make a play or two on the ground.

During the regular season in fairly limited action, Herron ended up carrying the football 78 times for 351 yards and a touchdown. That rounds out to being about 4.5 yards per carry.

Herron played a big role in the Colts’ victory over the Bengals last week, carrying the ball for 56 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps the most underrated aspect of his game is the ability to be a receiver out of the backfield, as he caught 10 passes for 85 yards against the Bengals. The offense has been much more dangerous with Herron in the game, and that will help them in a big way against the Broncos’ defense.

Luck cannot be asked to shoulder the entire load by himself, and offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton has seen major improvement with Herron behind him in the backfield. If he can play up to his full potential this week against Denver, the Colts are going to be in a much better situation to come away with a win.

Next: 3. Veteran Leadership On Defense

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