As Andrew Luck’s injury situation lingers, could the Indianapolis Colts survive with Jacoby Brissett starting under center?
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is dealing with a lingering calf injury, as he won’t take part in joint practices with the Cleveland Browns this week and doesn’t appear close to practicing. So backup Jacoby Brissett is in line for first-team reps in practice and preseason games, as the Colts have continually said they will not trade him.
Luck’s injury situation has to be a huge concern for the Colts, even if they won’t say so publicly. It’s still early to suggest he won’t play Week 1, but if he doesn’t suit up for the third preseason game and continues not to practice that will become a real possibility.
The Colts have high hopes for this year, and some are pointing to them as a contender to reach the Super Bowl. So the question must be asked.
Could the Colts survive with Brissett starting under center?
Luckily for this examination, we have been here before. As the Colts continued to suggest Luck’s throwing shoulder was fine, and he would play at some point in the 2017 season, they acquired Brissett from the New England Patriots in early September.
Brissett did not start Week 1 of the 2017 campaign, as he was not ready to fully run a new offensive system, but he did play that week and then started the final 15 contests. Overall he threw for 3,098 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing just under 59 percent of his passes. He offered something as a runner, with 63 carries for 260 yards and four touchdowns, but that mobility did nothing to keep him from taking a league-high 52 sacks.
Considering he started the majority of the 2017 season for a team he joined pretty much as late as possible before Week 1, and played behind an offensive line that was abysmal, Brissett did pretty well. Give him the markedly mproved line that kept Luck clean (to the tune of 18 sacks taken) last year, with a better set of weapons, and Brissett could really thrive.
When healthy, Luck is a top-five NFL quarterback based on talent. But his injury list is growing, and that “when” question is becoming more elusive. If it comes to it this season, and Luck winds up missing a chunk of meaningful games, Brissett can absolutely keep the Colts afloat and perhaps even do a little better than that.