DENVER -- On Sunday, the Denver Broncos didn’t treat quarterback Trevor Siemian like a short-term solution or someone who is keeping the spot warm for Paxton Lynch.

Instead, the Broncos looked at a battered Indianapolis Colts secondary, which was down two cornerbacks coming into the day and saw two more players leave, and they turned the kid loose en route to a 34-20 victory.

Broncos coach Gary Kubiak looked over the matchups and opened up the offense as Siemian threw the ball 33 times, including 25 attempts in the first half. It was a contrast to the season opener, when, against the Carolina Panthers on a prime-time stage, Siemian attempted 26 passes and threw for 178 yards as part of a game plan that protected him in his first game as a starter.

Sunday's efforts confirmed what Kubiak said when he surprised much of the football world by picking the 24-year-old as his starter: that he chose Siemian because the QB showed he was ready for the job. Siemian has now won games against Cam Newton and Andrew Luck to open his career.

Colts cornerbacks Vontae Davis and Patrick Robinson missed the game because of an ankle injury and concussion, respectively. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie briefly left the game because of a shoulder injury in the first half, and Darius Butler left in the second quarter because of a hamstring injury that he suffered on an interception return.

Cromartie returned to the game, but Butler did not, and all of it put the Broncos in a situation where, if they were truly confident in their new starter, they could treat him as such. Siemian threw out of a variety of three- and four-wide receiver looks.

The Broncos piled up 294 yards by halftime -- Siemian had 215 of his passing yards in the first half -- and the game was a clear vote of confidence for the guy who won the job because of how he handled a high-pressure competition to replace Peyton Manning under center.

This season, the Broncos have made a habit of finishing drives with field goals rather than touchdowns, something that put them in a 13-13 game in the third quarter Sunday, despite their holding a more than 2-to-1 advantage in yardage.

But the Broncos lived the close-game life with Manning and Brock Osweiler at quarterback in 2015, and with the same kind of opportunistic, dominant defense in tow this time, they have decided Siemian can play that way too.