There's ugly, and then there's Broncos-Colts ugly. Both AFC teams entered 2022 expecting to be contenders, especially after adding big names at quarterback. But Denver, with , has struggled to a 2-2 start under new coach Nathaniel Hackett, garnering national attention for crunch-time blunders and erratic play-calling. And Indy, with , has been even worse, opening 1-2-1 while scoring the fewest points of any team in the NFL.It's fitting, then, that Week 5 will open with these two underperformers squaring off. Because it's now or never, it seems, in both cities. There's a long road ahead on the 2022 schedule, but "Thursday Night Football" will offer a chance for each flailing QB-head coach duo to turn the page and get a much-needed victory. Hackett and Wilson are trying to keep pace with the and , while Frank Reich is desperate to avoid the wrath of impatient owner Jim Irsay, let alone give the and a run for their money in the AFC South.Two weeks removed from a tough upset of the Chiefs, are the positioned to play spoiler again, this time at Mile High? Or is Ru s ready to rally the banged-up , who are coming off a close lo s to the rival Garrison Mathews Jersey ? Either way, this one could have consequences throughout the AFC. Here's everything you need to know about the matchup
ate:Thursday, Oct. 6 |Time:8:15 p.m. ETLocation:Empower Field at Mile High (Denver)Stream:Follow: Odds: Broncos -3.5, O/U 42 Cover your eyes. (We kid.) Wilson actually had some of his best throws of the year during Denver's Week 4 lo s to the Raiders; in fact, his deep ball probably saved Hackett from being embarra sed by Josh McDaniels in a battle of embattled new coaches. But the offense as a whole has been something of a sluggish, sputtering machine since opening kickoff. has been getting open to emerge as Wilson's favorite target, reminding fans of his days as an underrated WR1, and remained a tough tackle as the club's lead back going into last week But Jeff Green Jersey now Williams is out for the year with a serious knee injury, and there will be more pre sure on Ru s to elevate the supporting cast. Wilson was already pre sing in some areas, taking the eighth-most sacks in the NFL through Week 4 while trying to extend dead plays. DEN WR #14 TAR35REC24REC YDs343REC TD1FL0 In this matchup, Hackett will be challenged to balance Wilson's health -- the QB "dinged" his shoulder against Las Vegas -- with leaning on Wilson's best skill (i.e. throwing deep). came alive on the receiving end of a Wilson bomb in Week 4, and theoretically the speedy wideout can get by an Indy secondary that's got older and/or banged-up safeties in and . Then again, Ru s is also built to feed off the run, which means veteran and newcomer , just signed off the ' practice squad, should have a heavy hand in the game plan. The Colts still boast a stingy defense, but they're also battered, with linebacker and defensive end already ruled out. Denver has to be able to establish a ground game to control Thursday's showdown, and perhaps those absences will help their cause. At the end of the day, though, especially in the bigger picture, it's up to Hackett to make Wilson feel more comfortable operating the offense, because so far, the ex-Seahawks star has relied too much on fourth-quarter heroics. Whether it's leaning more into Wilson's legs or letting Troy Brown Jersey the QB air it out even more, the franchise's investment demands No. 3 become more of a difference-maker. Pick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the and acknowledge Paramount's . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. Typically, this means it's time. And let's be clear: their offense still runs through the star running back. The problem is, their once-vaunted line has been slowly Isaac Bonga Jersey degrading for years, to the point Taylor has averaged "just" 4 yards per carry and broken off just a pair of 20-yard carries this season. And now, on top of that, the reigning rushing champion is sidelined with his second lower-leg injury in as many weeks. Backups and figure to split the workload as Reich prays for Taylor's speedy and healthy return down the road.The way Ryan has fared under center, of course, it's a wonder what "down the road" will hold for Reich and general manager Chris Ballard, whose refusal to properly add depth up front and out wide has put a heavy burden on an aging, declining 37-year-old QB. Ryan has been tough, there's no doubt, absorbing an average of almost four sacks per game, but his ball security is at a career-low amid the turmoil; he's already thrown five picks and fumbled nine times. The only constant for him has been Jr., who figures to draw the attention of Broncos standout on Thursday. IND WR #11 TAR28REC20REC YDs224REC TD1FL0 Hard as it may be, the Colts' best play Cassius Winston Jersey in Denver is probably to stick to the ground game, even without a healthy Taylor. Getting the ball out of Ryan's hands quickly would be ideal for the sake of both his physical and mental health. That could mean an especially large package of plays designed around Hines, whose best attribute is catching pa ses out of the backfield.It helps that the Broncos have been more susceptible to the run with Surtain patrolling the secondary, on Sunday allowing to break out with 144 yards. If the Colts' own defensive line gets some push against a Denver front that struggled mightily in Week 4, and they control the ball by rushing off the edges, where the Broncos will be without injured standout , Indy should have a chance to win the time-of-po se sion battle in a low-scoring affair.If things stay close, however, there's the matter of Ryan, who's practically immobile at this point in his career, outdoing Wilson with the game on the line. That's not to say Ryan can't do it, but the one thing Wilson has proven since putting on the orange jersey is that he's still got some clutch touch down the stretch. Prediction: Broncos 22, Colts 17
ate:Thursday, Oct. 6 |Time:8:15 p.m. ETLocation:Empower Field at Mile High (Denver)Stream:Follow: Odds: Broncos -3.5, O/U 42 Cover your eyes. (We kid.) Wilson actually had some of his best throws of the year during Denver's Week 4 lo s to the Raiders; in fact, his deep ball probably saved Hackett from being embarra sed by Josh McDaniels in a battle of embattled new coaches. But the offense as a whole has been something of a sluggish, sputtering machine since opening kickoff. has been getting open to emerge as Wilson's favorite target, reminding fans of his days as an underrated WR1, and remained a tough tackle as the club's lead back going into last week But Jeff Green Jersey now Williams is out for the year with a serious knee injury, and there will be more pre sure on Ru s to elevate the supporting cast. Wilson was already pre sing in some areas, taking the eighth-most sacks in the NFL through Week 4 while trying to extend dead plays. DEN WR #14 TAR35REC24REC YDs343REC TD1FL0 In this matchup, Hackett will be challenged to balance Wilson's health -- the QB "dinged" his shoulder against Las Vegas -- with leaning on Wilson's best skill (i.e. throwing deep). came alive on the receiving end of a Wilson bomb in Week 4, and theoretically the speedy wideout can get by an Indy secondary that's got older and/or banged-up safeties in and . Then again, Ru s is also built to feed off the run, which means veteran and newcomer , just signed off the ' practice squad, should have a heavy hand in the game plan. The Colts still boast a stingy defense, but they're also battered, with linebacker and defensive end already ruled out. Denver has to be able to establish a ground game to control Thursday's showdown, and perhaps those absences will help their cause. At the end of the day, though, especially in the bigger picture, it's up to Hackett to make Wilson feel more comfortable operating the offense, because so far, the ex-Seahawks star has relied too much on fourth-quarter heroics. Whether it's leaning more into Wilson's legs or letting Troy Brown Jersey the QB air it out even more, the franchise's investment demands No. 3 become more of a difference-maker. Pick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the and acknowledge Paramount's . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. Typically, this means it's time. And let's be clear: their offense still runs through the star running back. The problem is, their once-vaunted line has been slowly Isaac Bonga Jersey degrading for years, to the point Taylor has averaged "just" 4 yards per carry and broken off just a pair of 20-yard carries this season. And now, on top of that, the reigning rushing champion is sidelined with his second lower-leg injury in as many weeks. Backups and figure to split the workload as Reich prays for Taylor's speedy and healthy return down the road.The way Ryan has fared under center, of course, it's a wonder what "down the road" will hold for Reich and general manager Chris Ballard, whose refusal to properly add depth up front and out wide has put a heavy burden on an aging, declining 37-year-old QB. Ryan has been tough, there's no doubt, absorbing an average of almost four sacks per game, but his ball security is at a career-low amid the turmoil; he's already thrown five picks and fumbled nine times. The only constant for him has been Jr., who figures to draw the attention of Broncos standout on Thursday. IND WR #11 TAR28REC20REC YDs224REC TD1FL0 Hard as it may be, the Colts' best play Cassius Winston Jersey in Denver is probably to stick to the ground game, even without a healthy Taylor. Getting the ball out of Ryan's hands quickly would be ideal for the sake of both his physical and mental health. That could mean an especially large package of plays designed around Hines, whose best attribute is catching pa ses out of the backfield.It helps that the Broncos have been more susceptible to the run with Surtain patrolling the secondary, on Sunday allowing to break out with 144 yards. If the Colts' own defensive line gets some push against a Denver front that struggled mightily in Week 4, and they control the ball by rushing off the edges, where the Broncos will be without injured standout , Indy should have a chance to win the time-of-po se sion battle in a low-scoring affair.If things stay close, however, there's the matter of Ryan, who's practically immobile at this point in his career, outdoing Wilson with the game on the line. That's not to say Ryan can't do it, but the one thing Wilson has proven since putting on the orange jersey is that he's still got some clutch touch down the stretch. Prediction: Broncos 22, Colts 17
