With each passing day, the prospect of the Tennessee Titans avoiding Indianapolis Colts quarterback, Andrew Luck, in Week 2 is becoming more possible.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback, Andrew Luck, has been the bane of the Tennessee Titans’ existence during his career, but it’s becoming more and more possible the Titans avoid him altogether in a Week 2 divisional matchup.
Luck has been dealing with a calf strain during the offseason and throughout training camp, and he was unable to play in the Colts’ preseason opener last Thursday. Now, he runs the risk of missing the Colts’ regular season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Athletic’s Zak Keefer shared a timeline of Luck’s troublesome offseason, which started with an MRI in March that revealed a calf strain.
» MRI in March reveals calf strain
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 14, 2019
» Luck starts camp. Pain spreads to ankle, specifically up front.
» Colts believe it's Os Trigonum (which led to Irsay's bone comment). Learned later Monday night it's not.
» Team *believes* they've found source of pain.
» No surgery. Rehab.
For a more in-depth timeline, you can check out the one done by ESPN’s Mike Wells.
Since then, Luck has been in and out of practice, and he hasn’t looked good when he’s been on the field. Now it has been revealed that Luck is dealing with a high-ankle sprain and is “likely” to miss the entire preseason.
From Colts GM Chris Ballard this evening: QB Andrew Luck's calf strain has slowly become an ankle issue. Specifically, a high-ankle issue.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 13, 2019
Colts now say QB Andrew Luck is likely to sit out the preseason with his ankle injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 14, 2019
The Colts aren’t ready to say whether or not Luck will make it out on the field for Week 1.
Colts aren't ready to determine whether Andrew Luck will or won't be ready for a Week 1 start; plan right now is to calm the ankle pain down.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 13, 2019
We’ve seen this story before. A somewhat mysterious injury is bothering Luck that is at first not thought to be too serious, but then lingers for much longer than expected.
Keefer understandably remains skeptical about this whole situation.
Chris Ballard: "This is not 2017."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 14, 2019
Luck will likely not play in the preseason, but Colts believe they've finally found the source of the pain in Luck's calf and ankle. Next steps: rehab. Not shutting him down or anything like that. But we'll remain skeptical.
If this injury does happen to linger, the Titans could avoid their toughest nemesis, with the two teams scheduled to meet for the first time in 2019 in Week 2. Should that be the case, a game in which many had marked as an “L” on the Titans’ schedule could flip rather quickly.
Of course, you’d like to see the Titans break their streak of bad losses to the Colts with Luck actually on the field, but that won’t matter if the Titans can do so without facing Luck and eventually make the playoffs as a result.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch, though.
It’s only a possibility — and not a certainty — that Luck won’t be on the field for that game. There’s also a possibility Luck won’t be fully healthy even if he does play.
Would the Colts feel comfortable putting Andrew Luck out there at 85-90%? Chris Ballard: "If he can function, yes, and if his pain’s under control and he can protect himself and play good, yes."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 14, 2019
It would be quite the reprieve if either of those scenarios play out, as the Titans have been haunted by Luck and the Colts for far too long now.