Here are the top takeaways and highest graded players from the 27-24 Indianapolis win over Denver:
Indianapolis Colts
Top performers:DE Kendall Langford (+7.7)
LT Anthony Castonzo (+4.1)
QB Andrew Luck (+3.5)
HB Frank Gore (+2.1)
TE Jack Doyle (+2.1)
Denver Broncos
– With all the talk of the Denver defense carrying the Broncos’ offense this season, it was surely a welcome sight for Bronco fans when QB Peyton Manning (+5.7) uncorked a pair of perfect deep balls in the third quarter of this contest. The long touchdown to Emmanuel Sanders and the against-the-grain corner route to Owen Daniels highlighted his day and helped Manning to his highest grade of the season and his fourth straight positive.
– TE Owen Daniels (+2.8) was apparently inspired by the team’s recent acquisition of Vernon Davis. Daniels not only posted season-highs in receptions (6) and yards (102), but his +2.1 receiving grade is a mark he matched or bettered only twice in his last three seasons of work.
– Posting his third consecutive game in the green, LB Danny Trevathan (+1.1) logged 15 total tackles against one miss and nine of them registered as defensive stops. In the run game alone he put up seven stops and a run stop percentage of 20.6 percent – both are top marks for all inside linebackers this week.
Top performers:
QB Peyton Manning (+5.7)
TE Owen Daniels (+2.8)
DE Malik Jackson (+2.6)
LG Evan Mathis (+2.3)
S Darian Stewart (+1.9)