The Houston Texans head to Mile High on Sunday to take on the 1-1 Denver Broncos, after a two rather easy wins against Miami and Jacksonville. Si.com's Peter King expects the Broncos to pose a much tougher test for the Texans, although one that Houston should be able to overcome in what he thinks will be a 23-20 win for the visiting team.
The deciding factor in this game, according to King, will once again be Peyton Manning's decision making. The veteran quarterback threw three interceptions in the first quarter in Monday night's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and many who had such high hopes for the Broncos began to doubt.
It's not Peyton Manning's arm strength that cost him a victory Monday night, and it won't cost him this game either. It's his decision-making at a time in his life when he doesn't have the arm he did three or four years ago. He can't go sailing the ball down the deep seam hoping Marvin Harrison's going to come flying out of nowhere and pluck the ball away from a corner. He needs to use his tight ends on shorter throws and be a chain-mover, not a mad bomber. Even if he does that in this game, the pressure he'll face from the Texans -- from Connor Barwin, Brooks Read and J.J. Watt, mostly -- will be more than enough to throw him off his game.
The Texans defense has allowed just 17 points total in the first two games of the season and will once again be a tough test for Manning and the Broncos, who had to face the Steelers and Falcons in their first two contests of the year.
Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. CT with coverage on CBS.
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