INDIANAPOLIS – Here are the best and worst of the Indianapolis Colts’ 25-13 loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday:

Thumbs up

>> CBs Quincy Wilson, Kenny Moore: Look, if you’re expecting perfection from this pair, you’re not being fair. It was an up-and-down performance at times, but on the whole, you have to like what this pair has to offer.

Wilson, in particular, is showing tremendous growth. Last week, he took on Buffalo’s Kelvin Benjamin in the snow. This week, he covered Denver standout Demaryius Thomas for the game’s duration and acquitted himself nicely.

Wilson gave up a key third-down pass in the first quarter after biting on a double move from Thomas. He also was flagged for defensive holding in the second quarter. But the bigger takeaway should be the physicality Wilson showed and the competitive fire with which he plays. That’s something that can take a young man-to-man cornerback a long way.

Moore made his first career interception in the game. Granted it was a terrible pass by Trevor Siemian, but Moore was aggressive in jumping the route and trying to take the ball up the field. Moore also showed his competitive side while locked up with Broncos receivers, showing the Colts have another promising piece in their secondary despite Moore’s undrafted status out of Valdosta State.

>> TE Ross Travis: Remember this name. Scratch that. Learn this name, and then remember it. This recent pickup from the Kansas City Chiefs made his first two catches in a Colts uniform, displaying his unique athleticism and 6-7 frame. The former Penn State basketball player shows the potential to be a size mismatch for the Colts, who have him under contract for next season.

Travis looks raw, but his run-after-catch ability could make him unique among tight ends. He caught a short slant from Jacoby Brissett in the second quarter and turned it into a 20-yard gain. Travis was also targeted by Brissett on the next play on a deep sideline shot, though the timely safety help broke up the play.

>> OLB Jabaal Sheard: He’s been uncharacteristically quiet of late, but Sheard was active on Thursday night, registering four tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits. The Colts have had a consistent lack of pass rush, and Sheard is the player most equipped to change that.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to do it regularly. But if Sheard can give at least some pass-rush presence, and the Colts can add some pass-rush help, this defense will be closer to being a well-rounded unit.

Thumbs down

>> Inside linebackers: The Colts had one of their poorest run-defense performances in quite some time, allowing 4.6 yards per carry to Denver. The linebackers play a key role in that.

Injuries certainly played a role, too. Jon Bostic and Jeremiah George left and did not return. But that opened the door for rookie Anthony Walker, who has played sparingly this season. And his extensive playing time Thursday was not a great showing for the fifth-round pick from Northwestern.

Antonio Morrison did lead the Colts in tackles with 12, but sometimes the question isn’t how many tackles but where those tackles were made. In too many cases, they were several yards down the field.

>> CB D.J. White: Here’s another of the many young players who got an opportunity Thursday night. White could have done more with his, however. He was in good position on Cody Latimer’s third-quarter touchdown pass but was victimized by a brilliant throw from Osweiler and a difficult catch by Latimer, formerly of IU. White was often a step slow in coverage throughout the game, as many of Osweiler’s key completions came against White, given the success Wilson and Moore were enjoying.

Follow Colts reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter @HolderStephen.

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