It’s been nine long months since New England walloped Indianapolis in the AFC title game, where a porous Colts defense, coupled with a disappointing performance by quarterback Andrew Luck, came together for a 45–7 beat down of biblical proportion that had absolutely nothing to do with the alleged air pressure in the football.
That’s a long time to dwell on things, and regardless of how mentally tough one is, or how much bravado a player has, the wait for another shot at someone who humiliated you on national television can seem a lot longer than it actually is. All the focus in Colts country has been on going deep into the playoffs and settling a score with the bullies from Boston along the way. Sounds good on paper, but in reality, New England looks stronger than green onions and is undefeated as they roll into Lucas Oil Stadium this Sunday, while the Colts are 3–2, and just a few snaps away from being 1–4. Sure, the Patriots have some issues in their secondary, but overall this is a terrible mismatch, and I honestly feel the Colts cannot defeat their nemesis this Sunday in this so-called redemption rematch.
As a result, it doesn’t matter who starts at quarterback for the Horseshoe, as even a healthy Andrew Luck probably wouldn’t change the outcome. Yes, that’s right, Luck is not healthy enough to play against the Patriots, and that has to be more depressing to him than his performance the last time he tried to scale Mount Brady. Luck won’t come out and say how badly he’s hurt, and getting an accurate medical report from the Colts is more challenging than finding Jimmy Hoffa and hitting Powerball in the same day. Since Fox 59 Sports Director Chris Hagen reported the subluxation of Luck’s throwing shoulder, the Colts have downplayed the severity of his condition despite sitting Luck out for “precautionary reasons” two straight games.
Veteran backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck led the Colts to victory in those contests, against teams that have a better chance of finding Bigfoot than they do the post-season. However, according to the Colts faithful, a win is a win, and it will help propel them to a title in a division that’s weaker than two-day-old dishwater. For those who say Luck’s health is a private matter protected by the health information act that gives you and me the same shield, go ahead and believe that. Bottom line: he is injured and should be held out.
After all, he is the golden goose, the chosen one, the franchise player, and the Colts cannot be serious about risking his future for what amounts to a grudge match that will probably provide them with yet another black eye. Sure, Luck has accessibility to the world’s greatest medical care, and who am I to question the renowned doctors who undoubtedly have examined him multiple times these past three weeks. Again, what do I know, right?
Something tells me his pain tolerance versus the time to heal properly are being heavily weighed on West 56th Street at the Colts complex, despite the fact that everyone involved knows the best thing for Luck would be more rest and not being rushed into a game that has no more importance than any other contest on the schedule. It’s not a rivalry with New England dominating so much over the years, but there’s that pride thing and all that revenge silliness. Is that truly enough to throw an injured player (and your best one) into the fray?
Hopefully he will not try to be Superman and take a needle for pain right before the big game on Sunday night, but something tells me if he wanted to, he wouldn’t be met with much (if any) resistance internally. It’s the reality of the NFL and the deplorable manner in which players are forced to make decisions regarding playing while injured. Unlike Luck, many are balancing the need to suit up each week versus what’s best for their health, just to keep those checks coming in. Sit out and someone replaces you, and your future is in jeopardy.
Maybe I’m wrong and the Colts will wisely hold him out this weekend as they attempt to redeem themselves against Bill Belichick and company, and at the same time, reaffirm my theory that you wouldn’t hook Secretariat up to a plow just to get the harvest to market.
Perhaps they are light years smarter than me (that wouldn’t be too hard) and have already made the decision to bench Luck for the third straight week, allowing him to continue to heal. Then again, like all NFL organizations, definitive information from the Colts regarding injuries to blue chip players has always been (and always will be) sparse, just as it was with Peyton Manning and Robert Mathis. After all, you cannot have the opposition knowing how badly a player is hurt and give them any advantage as they prepare to do battle against you. That’s the company line teams take and that in itself, while shameful, isn’t going to change.
This decision has far greater implications than whether or not the dreaded Patriots leave Indy with a win. One thing is for sure: nobody will talk about it until they have to, and that’s far beyond irresponsible and inappropriate. Luck may indeed trot out onto the field this Sunday, but it’s time for him to decide — not the team or a doctor.
If the opponent wasn’t New England, would there be this orchestrated cloak of secrecy surrounding his level of participation in practice and such a rush to get him back on the field? Probably not, but one thing is for certain: manufactured drama of this nature is good for increased media coverage leading up to a game that is already badly over-hyped. The question isn’t can the Colts win the game, but rather what are they prepared to risk to do such? Does pushing all their chips to the middle of the table include placing Luck at risk unnecessarily? I say it shouldn’t. Sadly, I may be the only one that feels that way.
Danny Bridges, who feels Andrew Luck is injured far worse than the Colts will acknowledge and may need surgery in the off-season, can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or Bridgeshd@aol.com.
