Another season for the Indianapolis Colts, another year in which Andrew Luck struggles with injuries.
Unfortunately, the Colts franchise player has not been able to play without injuries for quite a while now. And the 2017 season won’t be any different. The star quarterback will open the season on the PUP list, which means he will be “physically unable to perform” until further notice. Needless to say, these are not good news for Colts fans, or the team itself. Luck is a key piece if they want to have success in the AFC South.
Luckily for Indianapolis, their division is one of the worst in football. The Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans are the favorites at the moment. However, both teams are far from being perfect. I mean, Houston does not have a quarterback. And the Titans have Mariota coming off an injury, so no one really knows how healthy he will be. Tennessee seems like the best team overall, but they are beatable. And then there’s the Jaguars. Don’t sleep on their defense, but they are not going to be a threat this year.
So summing up, the Colts have a very good scenario even without Luck. They have one of the best receivers in the game in T.Y. Hilton. And even if their defense isn’t very good, there’s no question they have improved of late on that side of the ball. But none of this will matter if Luck can’t get back on the field as soon as possible.
Right now, his return date is yet to be determined. But the Colts need to make a decision. Do they rush their recovery to put him back on the field? Or maybe they wait until he’s fully healed, so he can return for a longer period of time? The decision is not an easy one because Luck is close to entering his prime years. And right now, the franchise is practically wasting it because they can’t use him properly. No one really thought Luck would be THIS injury prone coming out of college, but that’s the way things are. And Indianapolis needs to adjust.
There’s only one correct answer here. The Colts must be patient with their star player. They are not likely to win the Division anyway since the Texans and Titans are ahead of them. So instead of rushing things out, maybe they wait a few extra months. And with rest, an entire offseason to heal, and a potential high pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, things could look better for Indianapolis. There’s no point in risking your star player to win one or two more games.
Ultimately, the decision is on their hands. But if the Colts want to build sustained success for the future, then they must be patient. Otherwise, they might never get the chance to enjoy a fully-healthy Luck. And we know he’s a game-changing QB when he’s healthy.