Denver Broncos vs. Indianapolis Colts - 7 Keys to Victory

1.  Keep Peyton clean

The lasting images of 2013 were not of records or Herculean performances. They were of an old man getting hurried and harassed by the audacity of immature youth. Elway passed up an opportunity to improve the issue via free agency, Instead opting to re-shuffle the line in order to get some better speed and footwork on the edge and a proven mauler in the middle.  Indy will play this game without the 2013 Deacon Jones Award Winner Robert Mathis. With him out of the lineup, Arians will try to manufacture a lot of pressure via the blitz. There is no reason why this lineup should struggle against this team.

2.  Get off the press

In the last meeting, Colts corners frustrated Broncos receivers by jamming them at the line. It marked the first time all season a team made a real effort to disrupt the timing of the Bronco Passing game.This tactic along with steady pressure successfully Kept the Bronco offense under 20 points until late in the game..

3. No Mistakes

This matchup is fairly lopsided  The only way the Colts can stay in the game and make a contest of it is through Broncos miscues, whether they be turnovers or otherwise.

4. Will the real Orange Crush 2.0 please stand up?

TJ Ward, DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib.  The return of Von Miller, Chris Harris Jr., Rahim Moore, and Derek Wolfe. When it's all said and done, the Broncos will feature 9 new starters on defense when compared to their Super Bowl line-up.  That is a lot of turnover during the offseason but the talent on the roster is undeniable.  When talent meets production you have a unit that should be capable of creating turnovers, forcing three and outs, and if necessary winning games on it's own.  In a word, can the Broncos defense dominate?

5. Contain Luck

Luck is not the running threat of an RGIII or Colin Kaepernick, but he will extend plays and scramble for first downs if necessary.  Our line has to be very careful to maintain their gap responsibilities and more importantly wrap-up when they get an opportunity to bring him down.  There is nothing more frustrating than watching a QB convert a 3rd and long with his legs.

6. No big plays

TY Hilton has the speed to burn.  He has the potential to turn most catches into a big gain.  The Bronco secondary cannot afford to surrender large gains downfield.  It remains to be seen how the Broncos will match their corners against the trio of Wayne, Hilton, and Nicks, but I would try and keep rookie Bradley Roby away from this matchup.

7. Broncos must account for the McManus factor

McManus was inaccurate from 50+ yards.  The Broncos must have a contingency plan in place IF they do not trust the young kicker to convert with the ball on the 33 yard line plus. Look for the possibility of more 4th down attempts.

GO BRONCOS!!!