Lonestar
12-15-2009, 12:55 AM
Armstrong:
By Jim Armstrong
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/14/2009 01:55:08 AM MST
Updated: 12/14/2009 01:55:49 AM MST
Josh McDaniels was right about one thing. The Colts, as the Broncos' coach was saying the other day, aren't superhuman.
But their quarterback was for the first 10 minutes Sunday. In the end, that's all it took, thanks to a Broncos offense that varied between one-dimensional — hello, Brandon Marshall — and non-dimensional.
When you're unbeaten through 13 games in the NFL, it isn't a matter of luck. That said, the Colts were fortunate to be playing against a Broncos offense that had every chance to, but couldn't get the job done. A big play here or there and the Broncos might have won.
No really, we're not exaggerating. The mighty Colts were ripe for an upset. Instead, they escaped with a 28-16 victory that was anything but typical of the way they usually go about their business.
How much did the Men of Manning struggle? Consider this: Late in the third quarter, Peyton Manning had completed 16 out of 34 passes, with three interceptions. Kyle Orton, meanwhile, was 20 out of 25 for 178 yards and a touchdown.
But the Broncos lost.
How? Simple. The Colts stormed their way to two touchdowns on their first two drives, with Manning nearly flawless along the way. Should we be surprised? Josh McDaniels was.
The Broncos won the coin toss and McDaniels, apparently thinking the Broncos' defense would stifle the Indy offense, elected to defer. Um, Josh, care for a do-over?
J-Mac was almost right. The Broncos' defense did stifle the Colts, picking off Manning three times. At one point, Manning, who opened the game with eight completions in 10 attempts, misfired on 13 out of 15 throws.
But the Broncos' offense couldn't make him pay.
Oh, Orton and Co. put up a bunch of numbers, as is customary for teams that fall behind early in today's NFL. Marshall set an NFL record with 21 catches for two touchdowns. But then, that was the problem: The Broncos were one-dimensional to a fault. It didn't help any that Correll Buckhalter was knocked out of the game early with a sprained ankle.
Their issues didn't end there. Twice, the Broncos had fourth-and-short situations, but were stuffed short of a first down. Another time, Orton threw an interception near the goal line. Then there's Matt Prater, who missed a field goal. Finally, there was the two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter that ended with Knowshon Moreno being stopped in the backfield.
So the Colts clinch home-field advantage in the playoffs and maintain their quest for perfection. No, it hasn't always been pretty, witness their five wins by a total of 12 points, but they're in position to run the table. The Broncos? They're 8-5 and figure to make the playoffs in McDaniels' first season, something Mike Shanahan couldn't do in his final three years in command.
Question is, can they make something happen once they get there? Answer: Not if their offense plays the way it did Sunday.
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13989800
By Jim Armstrong
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/14/2009 01:55:08 AM MST
Updated: 12/14/2009 01:55:49 AM MST
Josh McDaniels was right about one thing. The Colts, as the Broncos' coach was saying the other day, aren't superhuman.
But their quarterback was for the first 10 minutes Sunday. In the end, that's all it took, thanks to a Broncos offense that varied between one-dimensional — hello, Brandon Marshall — and non-dimensional.
When you're unbeaten through 13 games in the NFL, it isn't a matter of luck. That said, the Colts were fortunate to be playing against a Broncos offense that had every chance to, but couldn't get the job done. A big play here or there and the Broncos might have won.
No really, we're not exaggerating. The mighty Colts were ripe for an upset. Instead, they escaped with a 28-16 victory that was anything but typical of the way they usually go about their business.
How much did the Men of Manning struggle? Consider this: Late in the third quarter, Peyton Manning had completed 16 out of 34 passes, with three interceptions. Kyle Orton, meanwhile, was 20 out of 25 for 178 yards and a touchdown.
But the Broncos lost.
How? Simple. The Colts stormed their way to two touchdowns on their first two drives, with Manning nearly flawless along the way. Should we be surprised? Josh McDaniels was.
The Broncos won the coin toss and McDaniels, apparently thinking the Broncos' defense would stifle the Indy offense, elected to defer. Um, Josh, care for a do-over?
J-Mac was almost right. The Broncos' defense did stifle the Colts, picking off Manning three times. At one point, Manning, who opened the game with eight completions in 10 attempts, misfired on 13 out of 15 throws.
But the Broncos' offense couldn't make him pay.
Oh, Orton and Co. put up a bunch of numbers, as is customary for teams that fall behind early in today's NFL. Marshall set an NFL record with 21 catches for two touchdowns. But then, that was the problem: The Broncos were one-dimensional to a fault. It didn't help any that Correll Buckhalter was knocked out of the game early with a sprained ankle.
Their issues didn't end there. Twice, the Broncos had fourth-and-short situations, but were stuffed short of a first down. Another time, Orton threw an interception near the goal line. Then there's Matt Prater, who missed a field goal. Finally, there was the two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter that ended with Knowshon Moreno being stopped in the backfield.
So the Colts clinch home-field advantage in the playoffs and maintain their quest for perfection. No, it hasn't always been pretty, witness their five wins by a total of 12 points, but they're in position to run the table. The Broncos? They're 8-5 and figure to make the playoffs in McDaniels' first season, something Mike Shanahan couldn't do in his final three years in command.
Question is, can they make something happen once they get there? Answer: Not if their offense plays the way it did Sunday.
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13989800