Colts Insider: Next stop, Denver
Stephen Holder
stephen.holder@indystar.com
Colts at Broncos%2C 4%3A40 p.m. Sunday%2C CBS
The game was over, victory secured, the season preserved.
But inside the Indianapolis Colts' locker room Sunday, the topic of conversation centered not on the 26-10 AFC Wildcard Game win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Instead, eyes already were fixed on what lies ahead.
Next stop: Denver.
Hello, Peyton Manning.
It's a storyline that never gets old. Manning, maybe the greatest Colt ever, playing his former team.
They've met before. Twice, in fact. But they've never played on a bigger stage or with more on the line. The winner earns a trip to the AFC Championship Game, one step closer to the Super Bowl.
"You're going against a Hall of Famer," defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois said. "You're going against somebody who has mastered the game, knows all the coverages, all the tendencies. We're just going to line up and see if he can (beat us). We already know Peyton is going to get his yards, Peyton is going to make his plays. But if we don't let him sit in that pocket and we don't let him move around, we might have us a ballgame.
"It's surely going to be a game to watch."
The Colts will want to put on a better showing than they did in their season opener at Denver. They lost 31-24 that September night at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, but a series of forced and unforced errors by the Colts put them in an early 24-7 hole from which they could not emerge.
Perhaps they should bring with them some of the things that proved successful against the Bengals on Sunday.
The list includes a stiff run defense, solid protection from an embattled offensive line, a running game that was, at worst, adequate, and great quarterback play from Andrew Luck (31-of-44, 376 yards).
Those are elements that will serve a team well in the postseason, even one that was as inconsistent as the Colts in recent weeks.
With Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton missing two of his most potent weapons — receiver A.J. Green and tight end Jermaine Gresham — Cincinnati was a shell of itself and no match for the Colts.
Dalton completed just 18 of his 35 passes for 155 yards, the Colts defense forcing him to settle for check-down throws to backs and tight ends. (Cincinnati receivers accounted for three catches and 31 yards.) He was sacked three times but pressured lots more. That's a promising sign for a Colts team that has been lacking a consistent pass rush.
"We knew if we got Andy Dalton off his spot, we knew we could rattle him," Jean Francois said. "And the same thing we did this week, we must carry it over to next week. I know Peyton is a Hall-of-Fame quarterback, but we have to get him off his spot. We have to get him rattled. If we don't get him rattled, I don't have to tell you the rest of the story."
The only thing that prevented Sunday's game from becoming a full-fledged blowout was the Colts' periodic lack of execution.
Receiver T.Y. Hilton dropping three passes comes to mind. Tight end Dwayne Allen's pair of false starts certainly didn't help. Running back Boom Herron's two fumbles are another example. And the red zone failures that highlighted Sunday's game — kicker Adam Vinatieri had four field goals — will likely prove costlier from here on out.
But, all told, the Colts moved the ball effortlessly — their 482 total yards was third-most in their postseason history — and defended efficiently.
Is that good enough to beat the 12-4 Broncos? On their home field? In the playoffs? With Manning under center?
We're about to find out.
"We have a nasty taste in our mouths," linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said, referencing the earlier loss at Denver. "They handled us. We didn't play our best game at all. That's why I think a lot of guys have been quietly waiting for this opportunity.
"And here it is."
That was just one example of the workmanlike attitude that was prevalent among Colts players. This season was never about winning a Wild Card game.
"When that whistle blew — it was great to get the win — but our focus was on, what time is the (Denver) game?" Jackson continued. "You can only enjoy this for a short period of time and then it's time to get back on the grind. I'll enjoy the journey when it's done. Right now, it's grind time."
That work of which Jackson speaks might already be underway. The so-called 24-hour rule, allowing 24 hours to savor a victory, is not really in effect this week. The Colts understand what it takes to win at Denver. Maybe that was the biggest benefit of their earlier loss.
"We learned a valuable lesson," linebacker Erik Walden said. "But we're still here. And the stakes are higher. We love the position we're in. So, we'll enjoy this for a couple hours and then back to work. I know a lot of guys (Sunday night), if you want to be great and beat one of the greatest, you've got to go get on that film now.
"Because I guarantee you Peyton is watching right now."
Follow Star reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.