I strongly beleive the Colts knew during the lockout itself that Manning had a severe injury last season and that chances of him returning for the opener would depend heavily on rehabilitation. Manning might have thought the nerve injury would heal in time and might have informed his trainer's or doctor's opinion to the top management.The same doctor might have told him last week that his nerve injury is going to take much much longer to heal. Jim Irsay might just be doing his PR job of letting people in on the secret so that a huge ruckus does not rise on the role of the front office.

The front office on the other hand surely deserves to be crucified for not even trying to get an decent backup as soon as the lockout ended.Bill Polian has lost it surely and this is one of his bone headed decisions as usual.

Anywaz not that rant is out of the way.We actually could have some positives coming out of Manning missing time. Yes I am not delusional nor am on weed. Manning has covered up immense holes on this team since he was brought here.Polian and his gang have hid behind Manning's huge talent to do nothing and stick with their idiotic decisions over the years. Even if Carson Palmer/Kerry Collins were brought in today they will get destroyed behind this Oline. Nobody ...I repeat Nobody has such an quick release as Manning which enables him to work with this ramshoddy line.

Also the defense is a real joke consistently ranking in the bottom heap of the league.Always drating smaller lineman in the hope they will be blazingly fast and watch them get pounded into the ground by 320 Lb RB's and lineman surely gives us the high probability injuries that fans blame on luck.

Please dont blame Manning.He already took an paycut and is doing everything he can to help this team and he is so competetive he might even take an risk with his recovery and step up.

Positives if Manning misses time.

1.The noise will be so huge that Painter will finally get cut and the Colts will get an decent backup.

2.There will be an huge focus on the defense exposing all the chinks in the armour.

3.The Oline will go through a big transition and will be much better when Manning returns.

4.Without Manning the focus has to be on a run game and this will do wonders for the Oline to consistently focus on the run.

5.If Manning is out for half of the season we will easily go 5-13 and will be able to get an first round draft next year's pool which is neck deep in QB talent and other areas.

6.The defense will be absolutely crucified in the press and Polian will no longer be able to spin his lame stories about theories about why we lost.

Sometimes we have to look for the silver lining in the dark clouds.I do love this team to death but if Manning misses time ...I do not want this to go waste.I do not want his huge talent to be used as an mask by Polian to play his 3rd dimensional chess as claimed by his fans to get us gems like ( Ugoh,Pollak and the entire 2007 draft class)