Luck disagrees with claims that Broncos' defense plays dirty

Andrew Luck will be the next quarterback to stand across from the Denver Broncos' imposing defense.

The Broncos and Indianapolis Colts will renew their rivalry Sunday afternoon, and Luck will have to solve a defense that stifled the defending NFC champions in Week 1.

The Broncos battered and bruised Carolina Panthers signal-caller Cam Newton to the point that critics questioned whether the defense crossed the line. Luck was asked whether the Broncos' defense can be dirty, but he wouldn't take the bait.

"I wouldn't necessarily agree with that," he said, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. "They play hard, are well-coached, and everybody is entitled to their own opinion. They do a good job, they really do."

Those coaches also took exception to the criticism.

"I think it's ridiculous," said Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. "We've never taught that. It's never happened before. If there's penalties that should've been called in the game, we get on our players even if they weren't called. We get on our players because we don't want penalties."