When Will Peyton Manning Return?

Added on Sep 06, 2011 by Scott in

NFL

The Peyton Manning ‘will he or won’t he play’ saga has reached new heights of drama. With only five days until the Colts season opener at Houston, all signs point toward Manning not suiting up. His recovery from offseason neck surgery continues to be slower than anticipated. Pain in his back and triceps is preventing him from participating in practice and conflicting reports suggest he could be sidelined up to a month or more.

At this point, the Colts either don’t know or aren’t saying when Manning will be ready to return. It could be Week 2 or Week 6. Until his discomfort subsides and he’s cleared to practice, the four-time league MVP’s 2011 season remains in doubt.

The end of Manning’s 227-game start streak keeps grabbing headlines, but keeping the streak intact is the farthest thing from his mind.

“I have to be able to competitively play,” he said [last week]. “I have too much respect for football. I’ve got to be able to compete and to help my team win, and that’s what’s fair to the team, fair to myself.”

The Colts have managed to dodge a gigantic bullet for 13 seasons, always able to rely on Manning’s durability. They skated by carrying questionable backups like Jim Sorgi and Curtis Painter. Now they face the very real possibility of beginning the season with 38-year-old Kerry Collins under center.

Collins put his recent retirement on hold and signed a contract on August 24th. He’s been taking a crash course in the Colts expansive playbook ever since in preparation of being the starter on September 11th. A savvy veteran with a strong arm, Collins gives the team its best chance to win in the short- and long-term.

For the second consecutive season, the Colts open at division rival Houston. They lost last year’s matchup 34-24, but lead the all-time series 16-2.

Source: NFL.com