Indianapolis Colts vs. Denver Broncos: AFC Playoff Hopefuls Look to Get Back on Track on TNF

Each the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos entered 2022 rebuilding their offensive programs round a brand new quarterback. Two veterans with Tremendous Bowl expertise, Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson, have been acquired with the hopes of launching these storied franchises again into the AFC championship dialog.

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As an alternative, as we attain this season’s one-quarter mark, the jury continues to be out on each heading into their “Thursday Night time Soccer” tilt on Prime Video. The Colts have only one win within the Ryan period, however it’s an enormous one: a 20-17 upset of Kansas Metropolis the place their offense outpaced Patrick Mahomes throughout a powerful fourth-quarter comeback.

The two-2 Broncos have a win of their very own to hold their hat on. The issue? It was an 11-10 defensive squeaker over the surging San Francisco 49ers. Surrounding which have come some irritating losses and questionable decision-making, first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett beneath hearth since a choice to aim a 64-yard subject aim to win the season opener. (Spoiler alert: He misplaced.)

However in a 12 months outlined by parity, each groups stay inside hanging distance of their divisions early on. The Colts sit only a half-game out in an AFC South the place no workforce is above .500. The Broncos sit only one sport again of Kansas Metropolis within the AFC West. Which workforce will take a step ahead of their bid to remain on monitor?

Thursday Night time Soccer: Indianapolis (1-2-1) at Denver (2-2)

Kickoff: Thursday, Oct. 6 at 8:20 p.m. ET
Outlet: Prime Video
Reside Stream: fuboTV (solely accessible in Denver and Indianapolis markets)
Unfold: Broncos -3.5
Tickets: As little as $ on SITickets.com*

Three Issues to Watch

1. How will the Broncos’ offense get better from accidents?
Denver’s nightmare in final week’s loss at Las Vegas was exacerbated as soon as beginning working again Javonte Williams went down within the third quarter. A torn ACL (and LCL) in his proper knee leaves the promising second-year participant out for the 12 months after racking up 204 yards in three-plus video games, a complete which left him twelfth within the AFC.

His sneakers might be stuffed by Melvin Gordon III, a former 1,000-yard rusher who has not impressed confidence with 4 fumbles already this season. The final one got here on his first carry of the sport in opposition to the Raiders, resulting in a turnover and 68-yard landing return that price his workforce a lead it by no means regained.

“Simply acquired to be higher, man,” Gordon mentioned after the sport. “Ain’t no excuse for it.”

Gordon’s presence turns into much more of a spotlight with Hackett revealing this week that Russell Wilson is “dinged up” with a shoulder harm suffered throughout a Maxx Crosby sack on Sunday. Wilson nonetheless accomplished his finest sport of the season, throwing for 237 yards, three complete touchdowns (two move, one rush), and no turnovers whereas averaging 9.5 yards per move try.

A hobbled Wilson would put strain on the Broncos’ floor sport to provide in opposition to a Colts rush protection ranked sixth within the NFL, permitting simply 89.5 yards per sport. Take away the Titans’ Derrick Henry, in a category of his personal, and the typical for the Colts drops to only 77.0 yards a sport, making it an uphill battle for Gordon to determine himself.

Mike Boone (3 att., 20 yds. this season) can be within the combine and Latavius Murray might be as effectively. Denver signed the nine-year veteran off of New Orleans’ observe squad this week, mockingly after Murray was elevated to the energetic roster to assist fill in for an injured Alvin Kamara within the Saints’ sport in London in opposition to Minnesota. Murray went for a team-high 57 yards with a rating (on 11 carries) within the 28-25 loss earlier than he was returned to the observe squad.

2. Can Matt Ryan play turnover-free soccer?
Ryan threw for a season-high 356 yards within the 24-17 loss to the Titans on Sunday. His 1,125 passing yards rank third within the AFC. However as soon as once more, the veteran price his workforce greater than he helped it, a misplaced fumble and an interception resulting in 14 Tennessee factors that made the distinction.

It provides as much as an unsightly season of self-induced errors. Ryan’s 9 fumbles lead the NFL by three over anybody else; his 5 interceptions are tied for second within the NFL behind Matthew Stafford’s six. That is helped contribute to a minus-six turnover margin for the Colts, the second-worst mark within the NFL behind the New Orleans Saints (-7).

“Turnovers are… certainly one of, if not the, most vital one or two most crucial stats in the case of successful ball video games,” Ryan mentioned this week. “I’ve acquired to do a greater job defending it.”

It is debatable he’ll do this in opposition to a Broncos protection tied for second within the NFL with 11 sacks. They’re coping with yet one more harm (linebacker Randy Gregory went down with a knee downside on Sunday and has been placed on IR) however nonetheless have Professional Bowl linebacker Bradley Chubb (three sacks already this 12 months). A shaky Colts offensive line could have their issues protecting the move rushers at bay; it is only a query of whether or not Ryan can reduce the injury.

3. Will Jonathan Taylor play?
What is going on on with final 12 months’s dark-horse MVP candidate? Taylor has misplaced his mojo after an lively opening week, 161-yard efficiency in opposition to the Texans.

Since then? He is picked up 167 yards on 50 carries (3.3 ypc) whereas being held and not using a dashing landing. So as to add insult to harm, he rolled his ankle within the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss and was evaluated this week for a excessive ankle sprain, touchdown on the DNP record for Monday’s harm report.

Even when Taylor does play, he’ll probably be restricted. It is a missed alternative in opposition to a Denver protection that allowed a season-high 212 dashing yards in opposition to the Raiders, together with 144 to Josh Jacobs. With Taylor out, fifth-year pass-catching again Nyheim Hines would take the reins after venting some frustration off the sector.

“Yearly, now we have a brand new quarterback,” Hines, a Colt since 2018, informed The Athletic this week. “So annually now we have rising pains whereas we sit right here and watch Tennessee, which has had [Ryan] Tannehill, what, my entire profession? And annually we’re restarting and now we have to show the web page.”

Now, Hines has his likelihood to maneuver the Colts offense ahead on his personal. The issue? He is by no means had a 100-yard dashing sport in his profession, carrying the ball simply eight instances this season for a paltry 11 yards.

Phillip Lindsay, who put up back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns for the Broncos in his first two seasons within the league (2018-19), might get his possibilities ought to Taylor be sidelined. Lindsay, who appeared in 14 video games for the Texans and Dolphins final season (mixed 2.8 ypc), is presently on Indianapolis’ observe squad however might be elevated to the energetic roster for Thursday night time.

Last Evaluation

The Colts got here into the 12 months figuring out Ryan, at 37, could be previous his prime as an NFL quarterback. Doubtless with out Taylor and along with his offensive line in disarray, the Broncos’ protection is primed and able to present him simply how a lot.

Count on an unsightly, low-scoring sport with the Denver offense adjusting to life with out Williams and Wilson enjoying at lower than 100%. However we simply noticed the Broncos win that kind of sport a couple of weeks in the past in opposition to a greater opponent. The Colts aren’t any San Francisco, their probably loss leaving head coach Frank Reich on the recent seat with an un-Indy-like 1-6 document in his final seven video games.

Prediction: Broncos 16, Colts 10

— Written by Tom Bowles, who’s a part of the Athlon Contributor Community. Comply with him on Twitter @NASCARBowles.

*Worth as of publication.