5 to watch from Oehser

Johnny O gives 5 things to keep an eye on

1. Pierre Garcon. A lot of these storylines will be ones that could still be dangling when the regular season begins, which makes sense, because the third game of the preseason is the last that will look and somewhat feel like a regular-season game. The storylines also will deal with the Colts players returning on Thursday from injuries, of which Garcon is one. He missed the first two preseason games, and a storyline on Thursday will be how the Colts line up and play at receiver upon his return. The Colts this season have four receivers – Garcon, four-time Pro Bowl selection Reggie Wayne, second-year veteran Austin Colline and fourth-year veteran Anthony Gonzalez – who are widely considered quality receivers, and much off-season speculation has been how they will fit together with Gonzalez returning from an injury. The projections largely have been that Garcon and Wayne will play extensively on the outside, with Collie and Gonzalez playing more in the slot, but Gonzalez has started on the outside for the Colts and Collie has worked there extensively in the preseason after working there in training camp. The guess is that the Colts will work formations with receivers this season that the team hasn’t shown before, the idea being to get the best receivers on the field in the best formations possible. With all four expected to play together for the first time this preseason, Thursday’s game could provide first hints to how what many consider the deepest group of wide receivers in quarterback Peyton Manning’s career could be utilized.