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A Peyton Manning-run offense is the Denver Broncos’ greatest asset on defense.

Allow me to explain.

For years in Indianapolis, there was a simple formula: Let Manning throw for a bunch of touchdowns early, go up big on the opponent, forcing them to abandon the running game and pass.  Then have Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney cause havoc with the pass rush while Bob Sanders and the rest of the secondary blanketed the opposing receivers.

Simple, yet effective.

Now that Manning is on the Broncos, the formula is similar.  The only way to beat the Broncos is by winning the ball control battle, and not letting Manning get an early lead.

In order to do that, you must run the ball effectively; something the Giants had difficulties doing Sunday night in Dallas.

As I chronicled on Tuesday’s column, David Wilson struggled not only to hang on to the ball, but to gain any significant chunks of yardage when he could, rushing for 19 yards on seven carries.

Now going up against the fifth-ranked rushing defense in the league, Wilson – and his inexperienced offensive line – has to step his game up if the Giants are going to hang with Denver.

Despite its high ranking, Denver’s rush defense is rather pedestrian, so if Wilson puts his Week 1 struggles behind him and produces up to his potential, he could be in for a nice game.

If things start to go south for Wilson, Brandon Jacobs will be called upon to shoulder the load (Da’Rel Scott has an injured knee), a scary proposition since he has only five carries since 2011.  And as nice as it is that Jacobs has a new attitude in his second stint with the team, unless he rediscovered 2006-2009 Brandon Jacobs, it won’t help the Giants on the field one bit.

Joe’s Prediction:

15 carries, 67 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 catch, 7 yards, 0 touchdowns.

Joe Vasile is a play by play announcer for High School Cube and Widener Pride football and host of ‘Ball Four with Joe Vasile’ on 91.3 WTSR in Trenton.  Follow him on twitter at @JoeVasilePBP and visit his website.