Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts: Thursday Night NFL on Sky Sports
Friday 15 December 2017 06:37, UK
The struggling Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos kick-off Week 15 in the NFL on Thursday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Action from 12.30am.
Both the Colts (3-10) and Broncos (4-9) are eliminated from playoff contention, but have plenty still to play for, with the fate of head coaches Chuck Pagano and Vance Joseph possibly hanging in the balance.
What can we expect to see from the Thursday night meeting between the pair?
In a tweet...
The Broncos go in search of back-to-back wins in Indianapolis against fellow AFC strugglers, the Colts, on Thursday Night Football.
Live NFL
What's the latest?
Denver's Justin Simmons is out for the season because of a sprained left ankle sustained in bizarre circumstances when celebrating a big play. In the 23-0 win over the Jets last Sunday, Simmons jumped to body-bump team-mate Brandon Marshall following a strip-sack of Josh McCown, but landed awkwardly when he came down on Marshall's right foot.
Colts coach Chuck Pagano says quarterback Andrew Luck is "making progress" as he continues to undergo rehab in Europe. Luck has not played since having surgery in January on his throwing shoulder after playing the entire 2016 season with a partially torn labrum. Luck was placed on season-ending injured reserve in November.
Stat attack
Somewhat surprisingly, the Broncos have the league's No 1 total defense - if things stay that way until the end of the season, it would be the second time in three years they would have the top unit in the NFL. They won the Super Bowl the last time, in 2015.
The difference this year, is Denver's poor ranking in points allowed (24th). That is largely due to their problems on offense, with opponents scoring 102 points off their 27 giveaways - the most points allowed off turnovers in the NFL.
The Colts have lost 10 games this season, the first time they have done so since 2011. But, they have won six straight games at home against the Broncos.
Key battle
T.Y. Hilton versus Denver's 'no fly zone' defense. The Broncos, despite their struggles this season, have not allowed a receiver to have a 100-yard game against them. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce did have 133 in Week Eight, but Kenny Stills is the leading wideout with 98 in Week 13.
Could Hilton be the first? The stats suggest not... he has had fewer than 50 receiving yards in three of his four career games against the Broncos, and zero TDs. The NFL's No 1 receiver in 2016 will need to break that cycle if the Colts are to be successful on Thursday night.
Game-changer
Von Miller. The Broncos star linebacker has 10 sacks so far this season, the sixth time he has reached that mark in his first seven seasons in the NFL. The only player to reach 10 sacks minimum in all seven seasons was Reggie White.
Miller will have the chance to significantly add to his season's tally (and 83.5 careers sacks - most in NFL since 2011) when he goes up against a porous Colts offensive line that have given up a staggering 52 sacks on the season.
Watch the Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts on Thursday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Action from 12.30am on Friday.
Follow the 2017-18 NFL season with us on Sky Sports and through our website skysports.com/NFL also our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsNFL
