(Reuters) - Andrew Luck passed for two touchdowns to the lead the Indianapolis Colts to a 24-13 playoff win over the Denver Broncos to step out of the shadow of Peyton Manning on Sunday and into the AFC title game against the New England Patriots.
Compared to Manning since the day the Colts selected him with the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft, Luck quieted the debate as he outdueled the five-time National Football League most valuable player in front of a stunned crowd at the Mile High City.
Manning built a Hall of Fame career in Indianapolis, rewriting the quarterbacking record book and taking the Colts to a Super Bowl before moving onto Denver in 2012 when the Colts decided their future belonged with the young Luck.
Luck proved on Sunday the move was right one, completing 27 passes for 265 yards including touchdowns to Dwayne Allen and Hakeem Nicks.
Manning, trying to get his team back to the Super Bowl after they were humiliated last year by the Seattle Seahawks, tossed for one touchdown and walked off the field amid speculation about the 38-year-old's future.
If there is one cloud hanging over Manning's brilliant career it is that despite all the individual honors and awards, his Hall of Fame resume includes just one Super Bowl win in three trips to the championship game.
The Broncos stormed out of the gate to the roaring approval of a capacity crowd at Sport Authority Field, Manning hitting Demaryius Thomas with one-yard strike to turn their opening possession into a 7-0 lead.
But Indianapolis would answer with a pair of impressive drives, Daniel Herron diving over from the six to complete a 73- yard drive. The Colts then turned a Manning fumble near mid-field into another score with Luck finding Allen with a three- yard touchdown pass.
Connor Barth booted a 45-yard field goal before the end of the half to trim the Indianapolis lead to 14-10 but the Colts quickly regained control after the break as Luck connected with Nicks for a 15-yard touchdown on their first possession.
The Colts and Broncos would trade fourth quarter field goals to close out the scoring.