Welcome to the Graveyard of Hopes and Dreams, sometimes referred to as the Colts Authority Injury report.
Injury Report
QB Andrew Luck (Right Shoulder) OUT
C Ryan Kelly (Foot) OUT
CB Vontae Davis (Groin) OUT
WR Chester Rodgers (Hamstring) QUESTIONABLE
LB Antonio Morrison (Elbow) OUT
LB Anthony Walker (Hamstring) OUT
CB/S Darius Butler (Hamstring) OUT
Analysis
The Colts are screwed.
That’s the only real takeaway from this week’s injury report. I could break down each individual injury and how it will impact Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, but that would be a waste of your time and mine. There’s only one name on that list that really matters (Hint: It’s not Chester Rodgers). Despite Jim Irsay’s bluster about building a roster that doesn’t rely on one player, the Colts are the worst team in football without Andrew Luck on the field.
That’s not to say that the Colts will be any good once Luck is healthy. They won’t be. 2017 was always going to be a rebuilding year. That doesn’t excuse what happened last week, the 46-9 drubbing the hapless LA Rams gave the Colts in what was closer to a snuff film than an NFL game. It certainly doesn’t excuse toxic levels of incompetence and negligence that led the organization to where it is today.
It’s easy to blame Scott Tolzien for Indy’s fourth consecutive season opening loss. He was atrocious. It’s easier still to blame Chuck Pagano, a man with so little coaching ability that I wouldn’t want him in charge of my hypothetical son’s flag-football team. His decision not to throw a challenge flag on what was clearly a Marlon Mack touchdown was the latest screw-up on a long list of screw-ups that should’ve gotten him fired on the spot. It defies all logic that he could spend all offseason watching Tolzien, who by all accounts was terrible in camp and OTAs, and decide he was the best option to fill in for Luck. Vince Young fresh off a bender at T.G.I. Fridays would’ve been a smarter choice.
The easiest (and most fun) person to blame is former GM Ryan Grigson; a man so out of his depth he traded a first round pick for Trent Richardson, drafted Bjoern Werner, signed Laron Landry and Erik Walden, among other disasters. A meth-addled chimp with a copy of Madden would’ve built a better roster.
The harsh reality of it all is that one man is responsible for the sorry state of the Indianapolis Colts: Jim Irsay. Irsay fired Bill Polian. Irsay hired Pagano and Grigson. Irsay gave them both contract extensions because of a stupid Twitter hashtag.
Jim Irsay is a lot of things, but a “football guy” is not one of them. The Colts were garbage when he was GM and they’ve been largely unwatchable since he decided to take control back from Bill Polian. He’s the reason the Colts will lose this Sunday to the man who should be their coach.
Grigson was fired. Pagano is likely on his way out. Chris Ballard has shown some promise as the new GM. Andrew Luck will heal. These are all good things. None of it will matter until Jim Irsay swallows his pride and brings in a “football guy” to take over day-to-day operations. Preferably one that’s 6’5 230 lbs with a laser rocket arm.
End Rant.
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