Wild Card Round: Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts (RCA Dome), the bracket opens here. Kickoff: Sun January 9, 2005 at 1:07pm. Winner advances to the divisional round. Loser starts the offseason early.[1][2]
Wild card weekend is the most chaotic football the calendar produces. Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts at RCA Dome is the kind of game that decides whether a season was a long buildup or a quick exit. These are the games where the second-tier playoff teams have to prove they belong. Most don't. The few who do define the rest of January.
The bracket has narrowed to the teams that survived the regular season. Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts are two of them; the rest of the league is in scouting mode for the offseason. What happens in RCA Dome shifts the rest of the tree: a road favorite winning rearranges seeding expectations; a home upset shows the bracket math underweights heart.
Denver Broncos versus Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card Round. The teams who reach this round have already proven they survive a long schedule; the stats that matter most now are the ones that compress: scoring differential, red-zone efficiency, turnover margin. At this stage of the year, the simple math is that defenses tighten and the team that protects the ball wins more often than the team that scores the most. Whichever side of Denver Broncos-Indianapolis Colts cleans up the careless plays first usually walks out with the result. Conservative-game expectations should not surprise the reader; both staffs know exactly what worked all season and will lean hard on what travels. The early answer is the kicking game, where any swing of field position compounds.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 14-2 | W2 |
| New York Jets | 10-6 | L2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 9-7 | L1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 4-12 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 15-1 | W14 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 9-7 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8-8 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 4-12 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 12-4 | L1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 9-7 | W1 |
| Houston Texans | 7-9 | L1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 5-11 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers | 12-4 | W1 |
| Denver Broncos | 10-6 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7-9 | L1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 5-11 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 9-7 | W2 |
| St. Louis Rams | 8-8 | W2 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 6-10 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2-14 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | 13-3 | L2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 6-10 | L1 |
| New York Giants | 6-10 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 6-10 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 10-6 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8-8 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 6-10 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 5-11 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 11-5 | L2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 8-8 | W4 |
| Carolina Panthers | 7-9 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-11 | L4 |
2003 AFC Wild Card Playoffs Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts Jan 4, 2004. Peyton Manning NFL
Madden 2004 PS2 - Wild Card Sim: Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts
Madden NFL 2005 - Broncos vs. Colts | 2004 AFC Wild Card
Madden NFL 2004 PS2 | 2003 AFC Wild Card Playoff Rematch | Broncos at Colts
Madden NFL 2005 PS2 | 2004 AFC Wild Card Playoff Rematch | Broncos at ColtsDenver Broncos None, Indianapolis Colts None
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 03172424 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 14 | 21 | 0 | 14 | 1435354949 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Colts | James Mungro 2 yard pass from Peyton Manning ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 0-7 |
| Colts | Edgerrin James 1 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 0-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Colts | Dallas Clark 19 yard pass from Peyton Manning ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 0-21 |
| Broncos | Jason Elam 33 yard field goal | 3-21 |
| Colts | Reggie Wayne 35 yard pass from Peyton Manning ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 3-28 |
| Colts | Peyton Manning 1 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 3-35 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Broncos | Rod Smith 9 yard pass from Jake Plummer ( Jason Elam kick) | 10-35 |
| Broncos | Jeb Putzier 35 yard pass from Jake Plummer ( Jason Elam kick) | 17-35 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Colts | Reggie Wayne 43 yard pass from Peyton Manning ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 17-42 |
| Broncos | Tatum Bell 1 yard rush ( Jason Elam kick) | 24-42 |
| Colts | Dominic Rhodes 2 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick) | 24-49 |
Indianapolis Colts defeated Denver Broncos 49-24 at RCA Dome in the Wild Card Round. The final scoring play was Colts: Dominic Rhodes 2 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick). The 25-point margin made it a one-sided afternoon. Top line of the day: Peyton Manning: 458 pass yards on 27-of-33, 4 TD, 1 INT. Indianapolis Colts advance to the divisional round.[1][2]
Indianapolis Colts walked out of RCA Dome as the team that survived a Wild Card Round Denver Broncos will replay in its head for the entire offseason. The scoreboard says 49-24. This was a 25-point margin, which is unusual for this round of the postseason and tells a story about which staff out-prepared the other from the opening series. The final scoring play came from Colts: Dominic Rhodes 2 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick). Whether it was the game-decider or just the period at the end of the sentence depends on what the camera caught earlier. Indianapolis Colts advance to the divisional round.
Indianapolis Colts 49, Denver Broncos 24. Round: Wild Card Round. Attendance: 56609. Q1: 2 scoring plays. Q2: 4 scoring plays. Q3: 2 scoring plays. Q4: 3 scoring plays. Top performers:
- Peyton Manning: 458 pass yards on 27-of-33, 4 TD, 1 INT
- Edgerrin James: 63 rush yards on 18 carries
- Reggie Wayne: 10 catches for 221 yards
Wild Card Round, played at RCA Dome. Final: Denver Broncos 24, Indianapolis Colts 49, with Indianapolis Colts taking the result by 25. **First quarter**
- Colts: James Mungro 2 yard pass from Peyton Manning ( Mike Vanderjagt kick)
- Colts: Edgerrin James 1 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick)
Second quarter
- Colts: Dallas Clark 19 yard pass from Peyton Manning ( Mike Vanderjagt kick)
- Broncos: Jason Elam 33 yard field goal
- Colts: Reggie Wayne 35 yard pass from Peyton Manning ( Mike Vanderjagt kick)
- Colts: Peyton Manning 1 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick)
Third quarter
- Broncos: Rod Smith 9 yard pass from Jake Plummer ( Jason Elam kick)
- Broncos: Jeb Putzier 35 yard pass from Jake Plummer ( Jason Elam kick)
Fourth quarter
- Colts: Reggie Wayne 43 yard pass from Peyton Manning ( Mike Vanderjagt kick)
- Broncos: Tatum Bell 1 yard rush ( Jason Elam kick)
- Colts: Dominic Rhodes 2 yard rush ( Mike Vanderjagt kick)
Top performers
- Peyton Manning: 458 pass yards on 27-of-33, 4 TD, 1 INT
- Edgerrin James: 63 rush yards on 18 carries
- Reggie Wayne: 10 catches for 221 yards
The 25-point margin says most of what needs saying about how the day went; the box score is the rest.
| Broncos | Colts | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 18 | 27 |
| Total Yards | 338 | 530 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 24/34 | 27/33 |
| Pass yards | 284 | 458 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 4 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks taken | 3 | 1 |
| Sack yards lost | 24 | 4 |
| Net pass yards | 260 | 454 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 21 | 24 |
| Rush yards | 78 | 76 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 3 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties | 5 | 4 |
| Penalty yards | 24 | 25 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | |||||
| Jake Plummer | 24/34 | 284 | 2 | 1 | |
| IND | |||||
| Peyton Manning | 27/33 | 458 | 4 | 1 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | ||||
| Tatum Bell | 12 | 49 | 1 | 15 |
| Reuben Droughns | 8 | 29 | 0 | 6 |
| Jake Plummer | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| IND | ||||
| Edgerrin James | 18 | 63 | 1 | 11 |
| Dominic Rhodes | 5 | 12 | 1 | 6 |
| Peyton Manning | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | ||||
| Rod Smith | 7 | 99 | 1 | 30 |
| Jeb Putzier | 3 | 67 | 1 | 35 |
| Tatum Bell | 4 | 32 | 0 | 14 |
| Reuben Droughns | 4 | 28 | 0 | 9 |
| Ashley Lelie | 2 | 27 | 0 | 21 |
| Dwayne Carswell | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Patrick Hape | 2 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
| Darius Watts | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| IND | ||||
| Reggie Wayne | 10 | 221 | 2 | 49 |
| Dallas Clark | 6 | 112 | 1 | 31 |
| Marvin Harrison | 4 | 51 | 0 | 24 |
| Brandon Stokley | 2 | 33 | 0 | 21 |
| Marcus Pollard | 2 | 28 | 0 | 25 |
| Edgerrin James | 2 | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| James Mungro | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
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Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 2004 Wild Card Round - Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts - Game Thread
