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Greatest Broncos games of the 2010s: Colts at Broncos, 9/7/2014

The Denver Broncos started our 2014 with a home win over the Indianapolis Colts led by a big performance from Julius Thomas.

After the heartbreaking loss in Super Bowl 48, the Denver Broncos didn’t skip a beat to start the 2014 season. Peyton Manning and Julius Thomas teamed up against the Indianapolis Colts for three second quarter touchdown passes.

The first came during a goal line situation. The drive was made by Julius Thomas earlier on a 34-yard catch and run to set Denver up in the red zone, then on a third and goal from three Manning found Thomas breaking free outside for the easy pitch and catch.

Julius 1

On their next drive, Thomas burned a linebacker across the middle of the field for a 35-yard touchdown from Manning to cap a 9-play, 78 yard drive to put the Broncos up 17-0.

Julius 2

Then again on the next drive, Manning and Thomas capped another long drive to put Denver up 24-0 late in the first half.

Julius 3

Julius Thomas would finish the game with 7 catches for 104 yards and three touchdowns. However, Thomas and the entire Broncos offense in general went quiet in the second half as the Colts nearly mounted a comeback. Manning put together one critical fourth quarter drive to extend the lead to 31-10 to help Denver coast to a 31-24 victory. Andrew Luck and the Colts had their hopes of a comeback dashed in the final minute with an incomplete pass on fourth down to Reggie Wayne at the Broncos 39-yard line.

The Colts would get the last laugh in 2014, however, as they would force the Broncos into a one and done in the playoffs that would result in wholesale change with the coaching staff. That decision would set the stage for the historic 2015 run.