2013 Broncos Season, Week 7

You can't stay perfect forever. The Broncos found that out last night in Indianapolis.

Week 7: Colts 39, Broncos 33
Season Record: 6-1 (4-0 Home)
Key Play: Trailing 36-30 with about seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Broncos got the ball back and looked to drive. The team had bridged the gap from being down 36-17 by adding a pair of touchdowns. On the first play of the drive to potentially take the lead, the pocket collapsed and Peyton Manning's hand was hit as he attempted a throw. Colts linebacker Pat Angerer, who gave the Colts the ball at the Broncos' 20-yard line. The Colts later hit a field goal to make it a nine point game, 39-30, and all but seal the win.

Recap: It's hard to go back home. For Peyton Manning, Sunday was anything but another game. For 14 years he was the starting quarterback for the Colts. He led them to the playoffs 11 times, and won a Super Bowl title there. No one can forget his emotional press conference as he thanked the fans and bid them goodbye upon being released following a lost season in 2012. All throughout the week Manning maintained that he was focused on the game and the emotions had been set aside. But during a standing ovation and touching tribute to Manning prior to kick off, it was hard to believe he could really put it all aside. The Broncos started slow and, facing perhaps the best team they've played all year, struggled throughout the game. Both teams suffered injuries — with Champ Bailey exiting for Denver. But the Broncos have also had to do a lot of shifting on the offensive line. Prior to the start of the regular season center was a problem. Then the Broncos lost Ryan Clady, the starting left tackle, for the season. Now starting right tackle Orlando Franklin is injured and out for a time, forcing right guard Louis Vasquez to shift to the outside while Chris Clark mans the other tackle spot. You would expect even a good team to struggle through some of these transitions, and the Broncos did on Sunday night. It was also a sloppy game. The Broncos got a lot of penalties, many of them dumb, while the Colts defenders were allowed to get away with a level of physical play not usually seen in the modern NFL. It threw everyone off their game. And judging by the way the ball came out of his hand on a number of throws, Manning was affected by a lot of things out there too. But this game also exposed some problems that have been brewing for a while. For all the good things the Broncos have done this season, the defense has been a question mark at times. Part of the reason they struggle with the pass is a lack of pass rush. Even with Von Miller back on Sunday night, that pass rush wasn't really present. That gives quarterbacks too long to throw, and exposes some of the flaws in the back end. The Colts, too, are a fascinating team. They nearly lost to the Oakland Raiders, and did lose to the Miami Dolphins (3-4) and San Diego Chargers (4-3). But they also went to San Francisco and clubbed the 49ers (5-2), handed the Seahawks their only loss and beat the Broncos. They seem to play to the level of their competition, which will be interesting to watch as they progress through the season. The Colts are 5-2, and with the Houston Texans (2-5) fading quickly, the Colts seem to be poised to win the division and make the playoffs again. This probably isn't the last time the Broncos will see the Colts, so we'll need to be ready. Denver had an easier go the first six weeks of the season, but we have two games with San Diego, two with the 7-0 Chiefs and a road game against New England. The Broncos need to patch up some of these holes to have a chance to get back on track and compete for the AFC West title.

Game Balls:
* Broncos Receivers. Early in the game the team struggled to win at times against man coverage, but all four of the Broncos' primary receivers made some spectacular plays on Sunday night. Wes Welker made some acrobatic catches, Eric Decker led the team with 150 yards, Julius Thomas had a phenomenal touchdown grab, and Demaryius Thomas continues to be a big-play threat. They were key to the comeback.

* Run defense. For whatever other problems we have on defense, the Broncos' run defense continues to be stout. Last night the defense kept shutting down the Colts' attack to give the offense more chances in the second half, even forcing Trent Richardson into a fumble.

Areas of Concern:
* Ball security. Trindon Holliday lost one fumble and had another muff that he nearly lost. Peyton Manning lost a fumble again and had a ball that fluttered for an interception. And Ronnie Hillman, who has plenty of burst but ball security issues, lost a critical fumble that sealed the Broncos' fate. After being very tight with the ball early in the season, this team has made big mistakes the last three weeks. Sunday night it bit them hard.

* Blocking. At times the past two weeks it has looked like the Broncos' line and backs have been overwhelmed. Manning suffered key sacks last night, and the Broncos struggled to run the ball. The line also gave up a huge sack near the goal line that led to a fumble and a safety, swinging momentum. The Broncos need to be more sure along the offensive line, especially when playing the sack-happy Chiefs twice in November.

* Defense. The Broncos defense has been a problem. They have given up a lot of big plays and big passes. Some of that is due to injuries in the secondary. Some of it is due to a lack of consistent pass rush. But all that matters is it needs to improve. The Broncos' offense scores a lot, but it shouldn't have to get 40 a game to ensure victory.