The Denver Broncos take on the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of last February's Super Bowl in this week's marquee matchup.
The Seahawks were better than the Broncos in the opening snap, winning in a 43-8 rout.
Peyton Manning and company are poised for vengeance, while the Seahawks hope to avoid a 1-2 start.
Here are three things you need to know:
The Broncos secondary and pass rush are significantly improved
Denver's defensive personnel will be much different than the group that suited up for the Super Bowl. The Broncos added cornerback Aqib Talib and safety T.J. Ward to shore up an aging secondary. Denver signed DeMarcus Ware to help a pass rush that struggled after superstar linebacker Von Miller tore his ACL last year. The results have paid dividends.
Ware recorded 1.5 sacks in the Broncos' opener against the Colts, and was a nightmare for the Colts to contain. The 32-year-old will likely square off against Seahawks left tackle and top lineman Russell Okung. With Okung occupied, Miller will test rookie right tackle Justin Britt, who has played decently his first two games.
Talib is one of the best cornerbacks in the league and can neutralize all types of players, ranging from Jimmy Graham to T.Y. Hilton. Against Seattle, Talib will likely be assigned to track down the versatile Percy Harvin, and his physical style of play could knock the brittle Seahawks star off his game. The Broncos' new addition is off to a torrid start with four pass deflections and an interception.
Peyton Manning could struggle again against the Seahawks secondary
Peyton Manning has started the season on fire, with a 69.4 completion rate and six touchdowns against zero interceptions. So it may sound crazy to suggest that Manning could struggle again versus the Seahawks.
In the Super Bowl, the Broncos were content to place Eric Decker against Richard Sherman and allowed the Seahawks to take away the right side of the field. Manning had some success isolating Demaryius Thomas against Byron Maxwell and keeping Wes Welker in the slot, but the rest of the offence was non-existent. Seattle's linebackers have proven resilient against physical tight ends, as shown last week versus the Chargers.
Russell Wilson won't have as much time to improvise
Facing an improved Broncos pass rush, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson won't be able to improvise as often as usual. The third-year pro excels at getting out of the pocket and creating plays, showing his full arsenal of talents during the Super Bowl.
Broncos nose tackle Terrance Knighton will give Seahawks center Max Unger all he can handle. With Miller and Ware in the lineup this time, Wilson's running lanes will be clogged. Wilson will have to make some throws against an improved secondary that features Talib at the top of his game.