GAMEDAY Open Thread/Live Blog: Broncos vs. Colts | Week 8
The Denver Broncos have already lost five games, which puts their playoff odds on par with winning the lottery. Not impossible but extremely unlikely.
However, there are still nine games left to play and that starts with the 4-2 Indianapolis Colts today at Lucas Oil Stadium. Will Joe Flacco make even more evident and obvious his throwing in of the towel? Or will we see some fight?
Join us as we live-blog and discuss DENvsIND here in our weekly GAMEDAY Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top of the site and in the bottom righthand corner of the Mile High Huddle logo, click the follow button.
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Inactives
Analysis: No surprises here. The takeaway is that Ja'Wuan James is finally active.
First Quarter
Colts receive.
15:00: Zach Pascal returns opening kickoff 47 yards. Yikes.
11:21: Broncos defense holds. Adam Vinatieri's field goal attempt sails way wide right. Disaster averted for Broncos.
11:21: Ja'Wuan James is starting at right tackle for Denver.
10:02: Broncos can't capitalize on a defensive holding call, giving them five yards to move the chains. Flacco throws well short of the sticks to Andy Janovich on third down.
8:00: Todd Davis limps off the field. Josey Jewell in.
6:35: Von Miller sacks Jacoby Brissett on third down. Von's third sack of the season, since he split the credit with Josey Jewell. Colts punt. Diontae Spencer fields the 51-yard punt inside the 10-yard line, immediately tackled.
5:35: Broncos finally move the chains. On 3rd-&-10, Flacco climbs the pocket and hits Diontae Spencer to pick up the first down.
0:33: Flacco sacked on 3rd-&-7, unsurprisingly. Justin Houston beats Garett Bolles. Puts the Broncos in the Brandon McManus danger zone.
End of Quarter: Broncos 0, Colts 0.
Second Quarter
15:00: McManus' field goal is good. But Colts flagged for unnecessary roughness for roughing the center. Broncos get 15 yards and a new set of downs.
14:20: Flacco sacked on 3rd-&-3. Broncos bailed out with another Colts penalty on the money down. Defensive holding.
12:56: Broncos stall when Flacco's throw is high in the back of the endzone and Noah Fant can't quite get his toes in bounds. McManus is good from 21 yards. Drive went 86 yards on 17 plays.
Broncos 3, Colts 0
11:11: Colts drive stalls. Punt.
11:00: Ja'Wuan James is down. Looks like trainers are on is left leg.
7:14: Flacco scrambles on 3rd-&-8, picks up the first down. TE Jeff Heuerman injured on the play.
5:33: Broncos go 73 yards on 13 plays, but once again stall in the red zone. McManus is good from 29 yards.
Broncos 6, Colts 0
2:26: Colts stall offensively again after Dre'Mont Jones bats down the Brissett pass on 3rd-&-11. Punt. Broncos will get a two-minute drill's worth of an opportunity, starting from the 22-yard line.
1:12: Flacco scrambles right on 3rd-&-4, and falls down (?) as he tries to turn it upfield. Unclear if he gave himself up or slipped but the net result was another sack for the Colts. Punt.
0:02: Vinatieri's 55-yard attempt is good. Colts go 43 yards on six plays and get points to end the half. Spencer returns the ensuing kickoff to the 24-yard line.
Halftime: Broncos 6, Colts 3
Third Quarter
Broncos to receive. QB Joe Flacco (9-for-16, 105 yards. in first half) is just two passing yards shy of 40,000 career yards entering halftime.
15:00: Flacco connects with Courtland Sutton for a 25-yard gain to open second half.
11:47: Flacco goes deep to Sutton, incomplete, but Colts flagged for pass interference. Broncos in business on the 4-yard line.
11:42: Royce Freeman pounds it through to pay-dirt on the ensuing play. Broncos extend lead. McManus' extra point is good.
Broncos 13, Colts 3
Mike Klis reports Ja'Wuan James suffered a knee injury and has been ruled out.
6:09: Colts go 48 yards on 12 plays but ultimately stall. Vinatieri is good from 45 yards.
Broncos 13, Colts 6
5:22: 3rd-&-3, Flacco makes a nice throw to Freeman on a slant but the RB can't haul it in. Drop. Punt.
2:26: Marlon Mack scores from 10 yards out following Mike Purcell's roughing the passer penalty. Colts can't tie it up! Vinatieri misses the extra point!
Broncos 13, Colts 12
End of Quarter: Broncos 13, Colts 12
Fourth Quarter
14:05: Broncos can't convert on 3rd-&-16. Dalton Risner limps off the field. Punt. Colts penalized on the kick.
12:30: Brissett sacked by Derek Wolfe on third down. Punt. Broncos' second sack of the day.
10:32: Broncos stall on 3rd-&-16. Flacco completes to Freeman for five yards, 11 yards shy of the sticks. Flacco's neck being tended to by trainers on the sideline. Punt. Broncos penalized on the kick. Colts will start from their own 28-yard line.
7:53: Brissett pressured by Von, eventually stripped by Wolfe. Malik Reed recovers. Broncos in business on the Colts 48-yard line.
6:26: Broncos can't capitalize on the takeaway. Flacco throws short of the sticks on 3rd-&-8. Phillip Lindsay penalized for offensive pass interference on the play. Punt.
5:20: On 3rd-&-5, Brissett throws incomplete to T.Y. Hilton. Coty Sensabaugh appeared to pass interfere, though no flag was thrown. Officials are reviewing. Officials decide to penalize Sensabaugh, moving the chains.
3:55: On 3rd-&-8, Brissett is pressured, throws incomplete. Punt. Spencer returns it 14 yards.
2:00: Two minute warning: Broncos lead 13-12 with a 3rd-&-5 to go.
1:55: Broncos give up with a dive to Lindsay up the gut. Stopped well short of the sticks. Brissett will get one more chance to drive to give Vinatieri a shot at redemption.
1:48: Brissett almost sacked for a safety but shakes loose of Von Miller and fires 35 yards downfield complete to Hilton. Colts are two completions away from field goal range.
1:39: Brissett completes short but Alexander Johnson horse-collar tackles the ball-carrier. 15 yards added on. Colts are now within 52-yard field goal range.
1:13: Brissett scrambles, tackled by Von. Wolfe injured on the play. Costs Broncos a timeout.
0:26: Vinatieri trots on to attempt the field goal from 51 yards. It's good.
Colts lead 15-13 with 22 seconds left.
It's nothing doing for the Broncos. Not enough time. Colts win, Broncos lose.
Broncos fall to 2-6 on the season.
