Indianapolis - Denver NFL Playoff Takeaways

Denver Today

> Colts QB Andrew Luck seems to have mastered the art of the Arm Punt

> For most of this game, the Broncos 3 out of 4 DBs in the Pro Bowl backfield felt fraudulent

> Colts K Adam Vinateri missed a 44-yarder at altitude early in this game, which was a Big Damned Deal and kept Denver in this one a long time after they should have been put out to pasture

> CJ Anderson's run to convert on fourth down to end the third quarter gave us any kind of drama late, and made Colts HC Chuck Pagano abuse his equipment

> Denver's attempts to cover for their QB's lack of arm strength with a relentless number of 3-yard outs was particularly obvious for much of this game, especially on third downs

> This had the feel of a Succession Game, especially since Broncos QB Peyton Manning seemed to be fading into the history books in front of us

> Speaking of guys who stayed too long, WR Wes Welker dressed in this game

> Thankfully for the vast TV audience, Phil Simms was on hand to do the math that made an 11-point lead a two possession game, rather than a one possession game

> You would think Bronco Fan would be used to this by now

> If this was Manning's last game, he goes out as Best Fantasy QB Ever, in that he bunched all of his goodness into the games that mattered to the nerd gamblers that are the game's driving force now

> Just to add to the Factory of Sadness about this one, it started to rain late in the game, too

> No, the Pats are not losing next week to Indy, and no, it will not be close

> It was kind of nice to see a game that was decided by the players, rather than the refs