Seven days after holding the previously undefeated Green Bay Packers to just 10 points, the Denver Broncos defense suffered a massive meltdown against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.

A defense that has made game-chaning plays in the first seven weeks of the season made none. Denver lost the turnover battle 2-0 thanks to two Peyton Manning interceptions.

A defense that had made quarterbacks pay all year on third down got burned over and over again by Luck’s ability to scramble and his ability to pick up the blitz.

A defensive interior that had been stout all season was gashed for 120 yards and a touchdown.

A defense that ranked first in yards allowed heading into the game gave up 365 on the day, including 245 yards against what was also the best pass defense in the league entering play on Sunday.

A defense that had allowed the fewest points per game, just 16, nearly allowed double that number. Indy sealed the day with a 27-24 win that might have been 30-24 if not for a terrible penalty that took Denver officially and completely out of the game.

A defense that had been aggressive in weeks past came unglued. Three terrible penalties to close out the game kept Peyton Manning on the sideline instead of putting the ball in his hands with more than a minute to play and needing a touchdown.

It was as complete a meltdown as the No. 1 defense in the league could suffer and it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Denver walked into Lucas Oil Stadium with a chance to hand Peyton Manning the all-time records in passing yards and, more importantly, wins. The first-ballot Hall of Famer walked out empty-handed, perhaps for the last time in Indianapolis.

But give credit where credit is due. Chuck Pagano had the game plan to beat the Broncos and Andrew Luck played one of the grittiest games of his career.

This one is going to sting for a long, long time.

As always, the Mile High Sports crew was plugged in throughout, along with the rest of the Denver media, as the game unfolded. Here’s what they all had to say about the total fail on the defense’s part…

Defense finally at fault…

Third down problems plagued the Broncos all day…

Luck can beat you on the ground or in the air or against the blitz…

It was Talib’s inexcusable penalty that had the Broncos grasping…

And an even more inexcusable penalty on the final field goal try iced it for the Colts…

And so they tacked on one more for good (bad) measure…

The scariest thought of the day, though, is that Pagano showed (again) how to beat the Broncos…