Colts DC Gus Bradley Sounds Off on Upcoming Broncos Matchup

The Indianapolis Colts have a must-win game ahead of them.

Colts Defensive Coordinator and former Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley on the sideline during late fourth quarter action. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL Sunday, October 15, 2023. The Jaguars ended the first half with a 21 to 6 lead and won with a final score of 37 to 20. / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Indianapolis Colts will be up against one of their most important contests of the season on Sunday, as they'll travel to the Mile High to face up against a red-hot Denver Broncos squad, who come off of three-straight wins to net them an 8-5 record and a spot in the AFC playoff picture.

For a team like the Colts who are chomping at the Broncos' heels to get a spot in the postseason, this game means everything for any hopes of getting their first postseason appearance since 2020. Indianapolis needs to be consistent and has to limit mistakes on both sides of the ball to overcome its underdog status.

Especially when up against a talented offense run by Sean Payton and Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Bo Nix, Indianapolis needs to be on their A-game defensively to humble the Broncos and stay alive for a shot at Wild Card Weekend.

And the Colts know it. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley sounded off on some observations he's noted on the Broncos' offensive attack, scheme, and how he and his unit are getting prepared.

"It is a different week," Bradley said. "They do a good job [offensively]. Ideally, in their game, they'd like to be able to run the ball. If they had 150 yards rushing and 260 yards passing, it just feels like over the course of time, that's a good day for them. They want to make sure they establish the run. Get the quarterback in rhythm. They do a lot of different things; a lot of different looks."

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Nix has been a shining star of the Broncos' offense, but it's their rushing game that's caught the attention of Bradley.

Statistically, Denver has remained modest in their run attack, ranking 19th in the NFL for attempts, 20th for yards, and 23rd in touchdowns. Despite that, the Colts are remaining on their toes for both sides of the offense gaining momentum down the stretch.

Looking in the backfield, the Colts will have to prepare for the unpredictable, as all of Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Audric Estime have started to gain traction in the running back room. Indianapolis has had a rough season defending the run, ranking 31st in the NFL for yards allowed on the ground, and 21st for touchdowns and yards allowed.

Along with their backfield having the potential to do some damage, the Colts and Bradley have to keep note of Nix as well-- another player who's made an impact on the ground for Denver this season.

"He's a guy that can get out of the pocket," Bradley said describing Nix. "He can extend plays. He makes plays on the run. Bo Nix is a quarterback that runs 4.5!... It looked like [the Broncos] used him in the run game with some quarterback runs. They're still on occasion doing that, but it seems more now [he's] getting out of the pocket, getting away from the rush, extending the plays that way, rather than the coordinated run game. But, yeah, that's got to be something we're aware of because a lot of his explosive plays come off of that."

Any day going against a Sean Payton offense is expected to be a long one, and with the current state of the Colts' defense, that claim could be even more true come Sunday's matchup.

If Indianapolis can stay in check against an offense that's scored 29+ in their last three showings, they can find a route to getting back to a .500 record, but it won't be easy.

Both teams are coming fresh off of a Week 14 bye, meaning this Broncos group will be just as prepared as the Colts expect to be. And with five of Denver's last seven going in their favor, this team is starting to build momentum at the right time of year, adding to the difficulty of this road tilt.

However, as Indianapolis has their backs against the wall for their playoff aspirations, they have no choice but to respond with force. For this team, that starts with getting things right on the defensive end.

The Colts and Broncos will be in Empower Field at Mile High for kick off at 1 PM ET on Sunday, December 15th.

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