Colts president Bill Polian scouts Andrew Luck

Nobody was eliminated from the playoffs after the first week of the NFL regular season, but it sure seemed that way for a handful of teams, including the Indianapolis Colts, who

were Peyton-less for the first time since they drafted him in 1998. Facing division rival Houston, the Colts looked like, well, a team without a quarterback, which was no fault

of Kerry Collins' who,
Authentic Troy Polamalu Jersey as recently as a month ago, was resting comfortably on his couch. Also not helping: Indy's defense

and special teams.

The Colts trailed 17-0 after one quarter, and were down 34-0 at the half before Texans coach Gary Kubiak took it easy on a team that is accustomed to being on the winning end of

blowouts. It's a sudden change of fortune for an organization that has thrived with Manning under center. In fact, since Manning arrived in '98, the Colts have been to the

playoffs every season but two, including a Super Bowl title in 2006.

While we don't want to overreact after one week, it's reasonable to think that this outfit won't sniff eight wins, and if Manning misses the season while recovering from neck

surgery, they'll be lucky to go 4-12. And that would likely put them smack dab in the middle of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

Michael David Smith writes that, "It sounds crazy to suggest that the Colts could take a quarterback with the first pick in the draft nine months after giving Manning the

biggest contract in NFL history. But it also sounds crazy to suggest
Replica Troy Polamalu jersey that a team with a 36-year-old quarterback coming off a major injury would

pass on a quarterback as talented as Luck."

But we're not just spit-balling here. Colts president Bill Polian watched Luck whip up on Duke last weekend. "This is what Polian does on almost every fall Saturday scout. And

this year, in the wake of the possible season-ending surgery on Manning's neck, that takes on added importance," King wrote in his Monday Morning Quarterback column.

"Is there any way the Colts could be bad enough to be in the Andrew Luck derby on draft day? Very unlikely, but the team will do its due diligence. And is there any way they'd

take a quarterback from the possible pool of well-regarded players, such as USC's Matt Barkley, Oklahoma's Landry Jones or a still-to-emerge 2011 college star passer? That's

more possible." With on hot sale.

We agree: Polian is doing his due diligence. It's not out of the ordinary for him to take in a college football game, but we're less optimistic than King about the Colts'

prospects in 2011. Unless things drastically change, there's every reason to think that they'll be in the conversation for the first-overall pick next April. While that doesn't

do much for fans this season, Peyton's not going to play forever. And if you have to replace him, why not do it with one of the best college quarterback prospects we've seen in

some time.

But perhaps we're too quick to bury this team.
Troy Polamalu Youth jersey If you're looking for hope, coach Jim Caldwell offered it at his Monday press

conference: "There is no question I believe it's all correctable." Feel better? Neither do we.

It's not about tanking the season. It's about acknowledging that Manning may be gone for the year. The sad truth is that without Manning, we looked beyond bad. I mean, Houston

is a good team, but the Colts weren't even competetive in that game. They got mauled in every phase. For Polian, he has to face the possibility that he could be looking at a

very high pick for the first time in quite awhile. What this really tells us is that Polian is admitting publicly what Colts fans already have known for awhile: he has no

intention of allowing Curtis Painter to become a starter for this team. Thank goodness for that at least.
It is composed by kittyshinejerseyshopcom 09.15.2011



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