ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – The trip to Indianapolis this weekend is about more than a return to Lucas Oil Stadium for a certain quarterback.
The Colts present a tough challenge, especially inside their own stadium. The Colts are 4-2 this season and have lost just once in Indianapolis.
"It's us against their whole stadium," cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. "We have to be able to come together as team knowing that when we're on the road, we're always going to through some trials that the leaders have to be able to keep the team together and stay focused on the task."
With the recent addition of running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Andrew Luck's ability to extend plays on the ground, the Colts have put together the eighth best rushing attack in the NFL.
The Colts have rushed for 784 yards and seven touchdowns this season. Both Richardson and Luck have two rushing touchdowns. Richardson has played in just four games with the Colts but he has already made himself their leading rusher with nearly 200 yards.
Head Coach John Fox credited the Colts' big guys up front for that success on the ground.
"I think the acquisition of Trent Richardson at running back – they are trying to establish the run with some jumbo personnel as far as a big tight end in the game," Fox said. "Their offensive line is doing a good job in both run and pass protection."
Luck, a second year passer out of Stanford, was a 16-game starter in his rookie year and took the Colts to the postseason while setting NFL rookie records for passing yards, attempts and 300-yard games along the way.
This season, Luck is one of just nine quarterbacks in the NFL with more than 100 pass attempts and less than four interceptions. In addition to his 154 rushing yards, he's only getting sacked at a rate of 2.17 times per game.
"He can do it all," safety Rahim Moore said. "He can throw. He's smart, he's intelligent. He has a lot of confidence and he's not a soft quarterback. He's taken a lot of hit. I even played against him in college. I hit him one time and he got right back up. He's like a Ben Roethlisberger, he's hard to bring down.
"He's leading his team to victory and he's doing a fantastic job. He has a great, bright future and he's off to a great start."
The Broncos are expecting a very focused Colts' team and they're preparing accordingly.
Linebacker Von Miller, who will be making his 2013 regular-season debut in Indianapolis, said that every game is tough but that the Colts are a "very good team" with a talented quarterback.
"The organization is a first-class organization," Miller said. "Andrew Luck is one of the better quarterbacks, as good as it gets. The offensive line, they've got a good offensive line, too – solid all the way around.
"We'll have to take it one play at a time to go in there and get it."
