DENVER – Last year in Indianapolis, the Colts jumped out to a huge lead on the Broncos, only to sweat out a crazy comeback attempt by the Broncos that fell agonizingly short.
This wasn't the exact same game, with the roles and the venue reversed, but it was pretty close.
Peyton Manning did most of his work in the first half, and then watched Andrew Luck pull off a nearly miraculous comeback after falling behind 24-0. The Broncos held on to win 31-24, giving Manning his first win against the team he spent 14 years playing for.
In each half, a prime-time audience got to see the greatest quarterback in NFL history and then a great rally from a player who has the chance to challenge that title someday.
Manning had three first-half touchdowns, all to Julius Thomas, as Denver built a 24-0 lead. The Broncos looked like the powerhouse of the AFC. But slowly, Luck brought the Colts back, starting with a nice touchdown run right before halftime. The Broncos stalled repeatedly in the second half, letting the Colts almost come back.
Luck was on fire in the second half, finishing the game with 370 yards and two touchdowns. An onside kick and a Hakeem Nicks touchdown brought the Colts within seven points. The Colts defense got a stop and the ball back to Luck, but his magic ended there. Rookie cornerback Bradley Roby broke up a fourth-down pass just after the two-minute warning to end the game.
Denver looked very strong in the first half. The Colts, as is their nature sometimes, waited until the second half to turn it on. The Broncos ended up winning, but if a playoff rematch would be anything like this, bring it on.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
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