Broncos (1-0) at Colts (1-0)
When: Sunday, 2:05 p.m.
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
TV/radio: CBS, 850 AM/94.1 FM
Broncos-Colts series: Denver has the upper hand at 15-12 across 27 meetings. The Broncos blitzed Indianapolis 31-13 in December last year, when Colts back Jonathan Taylor infamously dropped the ball ahead of the goal line on a would-be 41-yard touchdown and changed the tenor of the game.
In the spotlight: The Broncos’ defense runs into a rookie Joker
Type “joker football” into Google, and AI will give you the following definition: “In American football, a ‘joker’ can refer to a hybrid offensive player who lines up at various positions (running back, tight end, receiver) to create mismatches.”
Pretty accurate, if you ask Sean Payton. His definition, though, is a bit simpler.
“When we were trying to identify the tight ends or running backs that are rare pass receivers — that’d be the definition, AI, Wikipedia,” Payton said in early August.
The guy the Broncos will line up against Sunday, then, is a Joker through and through. Because Colts rookie tight end Tyler Warren is a rare pass receiver. Payton and his staff “liked him” in this April’s NFL draft, the Broncos head coach repeated Monday. Just not enough to sell the farm to get him, though, as Warren went No. 14 to Indianapolis.
Payton and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will now be tasked with game-planning against him. No easy task for a player who spent his NFL debut lining up in the backfield, the slot and out wide. No easy task for a player who once caught a touchdown after snapping the ball in one game last year at Penn State.
“(Indy’s) moving him, doing things that are built around what we saw in college,” Payton said. “He has snaps at Wildcat. We’re going to see that this year. I don’t know when. There obviously was, like, a Warren plan, and you’re going to have to defend that.
“He’s one of those guys you just say — he’s a real good football player.”
The Colts proved against the Dolphins that they weren’t shy about hitting Warren early and often. Their very first offensive play of the game was a designed rollout from Daniel Jones with Warren as the first read. And Miami did not have an effective anti-Warren plan in Week 1, as the 6-foot-5, 256-pound matchup problem caught that first ball for 14 yards and then caught six more in a 33-8 Colts win.
“It opens up a lot of things,” head coach Shane Steichen said this week. “We got the weapons on the outside that we have, but now having him inside is great. And obviously, he was explosive yesterday getting the ball in his hands the way we did.”
The Broncos defense played with their food, chewed it up and spit it out in Week 1 against the Titans. The final game book is still baffling a week later: 133 total yards for the Titans against 131 penalty yards. Indianapolis, though, presents a new level of challenge. Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain II praised their cavalcade of receivers: steady No. 1 option Michael Pittman Jr., home run-hitter Alec Pierce, and talented second-year youngster Adonai Mitchell. Warren floats somewhere in the mix — anywhere between the hashes.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw was signed specifically for this kind of matchup, both muscled enough and quick enough to keep up over the middle with Warren’s kind of hybrid TE. Greenlaw’s status, though, still remains lost somewhere up in the thin Denver air. If he can’t go, that places an incredible weight on the shoulders of Alex Singleton and fill-in Justin Strnad. Expect more dime looks with rookie Jahdae Barron, too.
“We definitely gotta keep an eye out for him,” Surtain II said of the rookie, “because they utilize him a lot in the passing game.”
Who has the edge?
When Broncos run: The good news for Indianapolis last week was that they held the Dolphins to 78 rushing yards in an absolute blowout. The bad news for Indianapolis last week was that Miami still managed to churn to 6.5 yards a carry, only running the ball 12 times in an effort to play catch-up. Colts inside linebacker Zaire Franklin is a stud, named a second-team All-Pro last year after leading the NFL with 173 tackles. But his starting ILB mate Joe Bachi has 54 tackles across a six-year NFL career. Edge: Broncos (if Payton commits to running the ball)
When Broncos pass: This one’s pretty straightforward. Colts CB1 Charvarius Ward entered the NFL’s concussion protocol Monday. If he plays, it’ll be a bit more of a test for Bo Nix and company against a Colts defense that finished 25th in pass defense last year. If he doesn’t play, recent trade addition Mekhi Blackmon suddenly becomes really important. Edge: Broncos
When Colts run: Quietly, there were a few possessions in Week 1 where Titans lead back Tony Pollard gashed the Broncos. Then Denver figured out Tennessee had no other ground-game threats and little offensive ingenuity, and stifled him in the second half. It won’t be nearly as easy this week. The Colts, of course, boast star back Jonathan Taylor (if he doesn’t drop the ball this time), plus fifth-round rookie DJ Giddens (41 yards on 12 carries against Miami), plus dual-threat QB Daniel Jones (two rushing TDs in Week 1). Edge: Colts
When Colts pass: The Danny Dimes renaissance has arrived. After six largely fruitless seasons in New York, Jones looked like — whisper — one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Week 1, dicing up the Dolphins for 272 yards and three total TDs. That was, of course, the Dolphins. The Broncos will have their hands full with Tyler Warren and company, but they handled Calvin Ridley and company just fine last Sunday. Edge: Broncos
Special teams: Denver looked pretty bad here in Week 1, with Marvin Mims Jr.’s muffed punt and a 71-yard kickoff return allowed to Tennessee. Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez averaged 50 yards a punt last year, and his right leg must be itching after going without a boot in Week 1. Slight edge: Colts
Coaching: Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter has some excellent offensive horseplay and an equally excellent name. For the second week in a row, though, the Broncos will face a head coach in Shane Steichen with less than three years of NFL head-coaching experience. Sean Payton stared directly in a mirror and admitted last week’s play-calling performance wasn’t his best, but he’s got plenty of years on Steichen and plenty more success. Edge: Broncos
Tale of the tape
| Broncos | Colts | |
|---|---|---|
| Total offense | 317.0 (15th) | 418.0 (4th) |
| Rush offense | 151.0 (7th) | 156.0 (6th) |
| Pass offense | 166.0 (21st) | 262.0 (8th) |
| Points per game | 20.0 (15th) | 33.0 (4th) |
| Total defense | 133.0 (1st) | 211.0 (3rd) |
| Run defense | 71.0 (8th) | 78.0 (11th) |
| Pass defense | 62.0 (1st) | 133.0 (4th) |
| Points allowed | 12.0 (5th) | 8.0 (2nd) |
By the numbers
6: Broncos — Zach Allen, Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Justin Strnad, Jonah Elliss, Ja’Quan McMillian — with a sack in Week 1 against the Titans.
0: Missed field goals for Colts kicker Spencer Shrader in his NFL career (9 for 9 on FGs, 12 for 12 on extra points).
50: Yardage on Denver rookie back RJ Harvey’s fifth NFL carry, the longest run by any Bronco since Latavius Murray in 2022.
-19.1%: Bo Nix’s completion percentage over expected when pressured in Week 1 against the Titans, according to Next Gen Stats.
24.2%: Pressure rate on Colts quarterback Daniel Jones’ dropbacks in Week 1, the third-lowest in any game of his seven-year NFL career, according to Next Gen Stats.
51.4%: Pressure rate on Titans quarterback Cam Ward’s dropbacks in Week 1, courtesy of the Broncos’ pass-rush.
X-factors
Broncos: WR Marvin Mims Jr. The third-year wideout had just three catches for 12 yards last Sunday on the heels of a breakout 2024 stretch run. He didn’t get any carries, either, after establishing himself as a backfield threat last year. Payton’s got to have more up his sleeve here.
Colts: WR Adonai Mitchell. Pat Surtain II said this week that the Colts’ second-year wideout has “all the tools to be successful.” Surtain, the reigning defensive player of the year, does not lather such compliments upon wideouts willy-nilly. Mitchell had just 23 catches in 2024 and two last week; clearly, Surtain sees some potential.
Post predictions
Parker Gabriel, Broncos beat writer: It’s impossible to forget the Jonathan Taylor Moment from a year ago, but easy to gloss over the part where, if he just, ya know, holds onto the ball, the Colts are up two scores in the second half. This isn’t likely to be an easy test on the road. Indy has interesting skill talent, a true matchup problem in TE Tyler Warren and a defense now coordinated by the respected Lou Anarumo. Vance Joseph’s group better be on its game once again. Broncos 23, Colts 22
Luca Evans, Broncos beat writer: The Broncos are going to get tested here. Their run defense had some gaps in Week 1 against the Titans, and Indianapolis has several different ways to attack gaps, between Jonathan Taylor, DJ Giddens and Daniel Jones. Sean Payton has said he needs to be better as a play-caller, which either means we’re about to see a ruthless 40 carries combined for J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey or some mesh concepts never before seen to humankind. Plus, the Broncos’ defense is set to turn Danny Dimes into Danny Nickels. Broncos 31, Colts 24
Troy Renck, columnist: One of these two teams looked like a playoff contender last week. And it wasn’t the Broncos. It is time for Sean Payton’s offense to start showing progress after a sluggish preseason and disappointing opener. Balance is the key. The Broncos must commit to the run game, including using Bo Nix’s legs. Thirteen quarterbacks had at least 30 yards in Week 1. Nix must join that club this week. He won’t turn the ball over this week. Indiana Jones will. Multiple times. Broncos 23, Colts 20
Sean Keeler, columnist: The Colts haven’t started 2-0 at home since 2020. Sean Payton hasn’t won a true road opener since 2018. Welcome to the NFL’s Something’s Gotta Give Bowl, and you better believe Jonathan Taylor hasn’t forgotten how he handed a win to the Broncos last December. Danny Dimes is the King of Indy, but does he have the big-boy pants for a big-boy defense? He is coming off his ninth career game in which he accounted for three TDs or more. In the tilt immediately following one of those, his teams are just 2-6 lifetime. Make that 2-7. Broncos 21, Colts 20
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