Manning in doubt for opener

[Texas T]

I didn't see this anywhere and thought it was interesting.

Not sure how I feel about Manning not playing. It is soooo much sweeter when we can beat him-not much of a team without him.

LinK: http://www.chron.com/sports/article/...bt-2133926.php

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Count Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay among those worried about Peyton Manning's neck.

On Saturday morning, Irsay used his Twitter account to acknowledge there is a possibility the Colts will start the season without their No. 1 quarterback.

"We r evaluating the QB sitch,(hash)18 healing but we must 2 b prepared 4 early season possibility without him,defense has 2 pick it up,big time!," Irsay wrote.

It's a notion that will undoubtedly make Colts fans cringe and, until now, seemed inconceivable.

Manning, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract last month, is the only four-time MVP in NFL history.

Since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 draft, Manning has started all 208 regular-season games and 19 more in the playoffs. His streak of 227 consecutive games is the second-longest for a quarterback in league history behind only Brett Favre.

But the recovery from May surgery, the second operation on his neck in 15 months, has been slow. Manning attributed part of the problem with not being able to work out with team officials during the 4½-month lockout.

The only other time one of his starts appeared to be in jeopardy was in 2008 when Manning needed two operations to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee. He missed all of training camp and the entire preseason, then struggled early in the regular season before winning his third MVP Award.

With Manning, the Colts have been a perennial Super Bowl contender.

Without him, well, the Colts' hopes of becoming the first team to play the NFL's title game in their home stadium would certainly take a hit.

Backup Curtis Painter has started both preseason games and has completed 8 of 16 passes for 95 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. In Friday night's 16-3 loss to Washington, Painter managed only one first down and couldn't get the offense past its 29-yard line despite playing the entire first half.

Painter hasn't played in a regular-season game since relieving Manning in the final two games of the 2009 season — after the Colts had already locked up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. His career numbers are 8 of 28 for 83 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions and a quarterback rating of 9.8.

The only other quarterbacks on the roster are Dan Orlovsky, who has played in 13 games in six NFL seasons — though none with the Colts — and undrafted rookie Mike Hartline.

Irsay quickly dispelled one possible move — taking former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor in Monday's supplemental draft.

"Not taking Pryor...what VET QB would u vote 4 to sign that's out there? If sum1 has 2 hold the fort early season,who u going with?" Irsay wrote.

But with only three weeks left until the Sept. 11 season opener at Houston, anybody the Colts bring in will have to learn on the fly. The Colts rely on lots of audibles when Manning is behind the center, and they don't want to change the whole offense. That's why they have traditionally relied on their own experienced quarterbacks, such as Painter and former Colts player Jim Sorgi, to fill in when Manning is not on the field.

When could Manning return?

Nobody is saying.

During a conference call with reporters Saturday, coach Jim Caldwell reiterated the same point he's made since the Colts held their first training camp practice Aug. 1 — it's up to the doctors.

"He's still caught in the same rehab mode, working extremely hard, as hard as he possibly can," Caldwell said. "The doctors, as of today, have not released anything."

Indianapolis had a practice scheduled for Friday afternoon but it was closed to reporters.

Manning also wasn't expected to hold his traditional media availability at Saturday's PeyBack Classic, an annual high school football tripleheader that his charitable foundation hosts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The first game began at 2 p.m.

Edit: so how do you get the box around it to show it as a separate article?? Stupid me can't even figure that out...

[Pantherstang84]

Don't get your hopes up. Until he shows up on the field opening day in street clothes, assume he will be starting.

[Showtime100]

Same here. I'm assuming he's playing. However, if not I see no shame in taking advantage and screwing them to the wall come Opening Day.

[Pantherstang84]

Originally Posted by Showtime100

Same here. I'm assuming he's playing. However, if not I see no shame in taking advantage and screwing them to the wall come Opening Day.

Ditto. Rub their noses in it IF #18 is unavailable.

[Doppelganger]

Originally Posted by Pantherstang84

Don't get your hopes up. Until he shows up on the field opening day in street clothes, assume he will be starting.

Exactly! I don't believe this for a second.

[Texas T]

Originally Posted by Pantherstang84

Don't get your hopes up. Until he shows up on the field opening day in street clothes, assume he will be starting.

No hopes involved for me. I actually like beating them when he's there-much more satisfying!

[redwhiteANDblue]

Glover quin should be happy he's looking at a 3 int day on sep 11

[cdollaz]

How old is Irsay? That tweet sounds like a 20 year-old douche. Or Prince.

[DX-TEX]

I said it before the season: the stars are aligning for the Texans.

This is his second neck surgery and Im beting its worse than they are letting on.

[Maddict5]

billbarnwell Bill Barnwell
Indianapolis over-reported injuries on guys who eventually played more than any other team besides KC from 2007-09. http://t.co/IFXasRb


billbarnwell Bill Barnwell
Bill Polian is probably the biggest bull****ter in the game when it comes to injuries. Just remember that.

nuff said... when teams do things like this, it usually means the opposite.

[Pantherstang84]

Originally Posted by Maddict5

nuff said... when teams do things like this, it usually means the opposite.

It would be nice if the League would adopt rules to prevent that crap. It seems to me New England does it a lot too.

Change the Injury Report designations to:

Available = Will play
Possible = may play/will dress
Unavailable = Will not play or dress for game.

[TheCD]

Originally Posted by Texas T

No hopes involved for me. I actually like beating them when he's there-much more satisfying!

Even if Peyton plays the excuse from everyone and the media will be "He had no training camp/practice before the game."

[GP]

They got their bell rung last year in the very first game, against us.

We play them AGAIN in the very first game.

#18 will walk out onto the field and rip his neck brace off, like old-school 1980's WWF action, and play the game.

I don't buy Polian's act for one second.

[DocBar]

My first thought when I read this on the Chomical was: Brett Favre. I dunno why, but who else could come in and replace P. Manning?
I, personally, have gotten past the "beat Manning" thing. At this stage, just beat people. Every team has injuries, so it's not like there'll be an asterisk by our name if we *GASP* win the division.
On a side note, looking at that picture of Manning on the sidelines makes me think we will definitely see him as a coach one day. I bet he;ll be a damned good one.

[CloakNNNdagger]

http://www.texanstalk.com/forums/sho...6&postcount=57

In the NFL forum, there are 2 threads on the subject of Manning's status. The Mods may want to merge.

I will repost my post in that thread since I believe it is quite important to the situation.

The reason that I'm not concerned with us being blind sided is because of something that is being overlooked. Since Manning is on active PUP now, if he is not activated week 1, he will need to be placed on reserve PUP, where he will be activated no sooner than week 7. Very important to keep in mind is that Peyton must be on active PUP in order to be considered for reserve PUP. If he tests the water in preseason, either in practice or in game situation, and things don't work out, he is NO LONGER ELLEGIBLE FOR EVEN RESERVE PUP........HIS SEASON IS OVER! Even if he becomes activated in a week or later during the preseason, the Colts will have no decent amount of time to anywhere close to "gel."

[GP]

Developing Story "announcement" on NFLN pre-game show (Rich Eisen):

Peyton Manning to miss final two preseason games, but hopes to be ready for Week 1 of the Regular Season.

So...he's definitely out the whole preseason and won't be "available" until Week 1 of reg season, at the earliest.

This means: No reps in practice, no reps in preseason games. He'll be facing live bullets on Week 1 vs. Texans IF he plays in that game at all.

And remember: They just signed him to a contract that is a butt-load of money. Do you throw Manning vs. a revamped 3-4 defense, an AFC rival, in week 1???

I dunno. I think he might miss the first 7 games, whatever the rule is.

[MEGA SWATT]

Originally Posted by GP

They got their bell rung last year in the very first game, against us.

We play them AGAIN in the very first game.

#18 will walk out onto the field and rip his neck brace off, like old-school 1980's WWF action, and play the game.

I don't buy Polian's act for one second.

So what? We'll kick his azz back to Indiana.

[TheDream34]

Dude hasn't missed a game since his days at Tennessee, he's gonna play

[Texas T]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

http://www.texanstalk.com/forums/sho...6&postcount=57

In the NFL forum, there are 2 threads on the subject of Manning's status. The Mods may want to merge.

I will repost my post in that thread since I believe it is quite important to the situation.

Didn't mean to start another one-I didn't see the others.
Mods merge if it's appropriate.

[Mr. Texan]

manning missing a game vs. the texans?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCySTWFcnlM