As many of you know, I am not normally a person who posts articles that rely on 'anonymous sources.' We don't have a 'rumor mill' around here and we aren't known as a place that spreads 'ill-informed and spurious' information. What we generally do at Stampede Blue is gather together all the Colts news and information we can for our readers, and then we write about it in our blogroll. We're more 'opinion writing' that 'information gathering' around here.
However, since Week Sixteen last year, and since our coverage of Super Bowl 44 kind of put us on a national media map, we get more emails and other correspondence from people claiming to have 'insider information' regarding the Colts. Most of the time, we don't take these communications seriously. But, in general, we do try and thank the 'insider' for sending us the message and for reading the blog.
In this case, however, I'm going to make an exception from our normal method because, quite simply, the information is too important to sit on.
According to my 'anonymous source' with strong knowledge of the situation, Peyton Manning is hurt. We're not talking a little dinged up or a tad sore here. We're talking 'the team is concerned' type of hurt.
After the jump, more details.
My source tells me that Peyton's injury stems from his neck. This is interesting because Peyton had 'minor' surgery this off-season on his neck to relieve constant pain that bothered him. I'm not certain if this surgery was not successful, or if the new neck pain is in a different area, but the problem is a big concern for the team. Again, this is all from an 'anonymous source.' So, if you do not take such sources seriously, I understand. It's probably best you stop reading now and move on with life.
If you're still intrigued, the neck injury is shooting pain down Peyton's throwing arm. I have not, as yet, determined if this injury was exacerbated by the numerous hits Peyton took against the Texans last week.
I received this information earlier in the week, and decided to sit on it until today. I wanted to see if the Colts would mention the injury (or anything related to it) on the weekly injury reports. As you can see, there is no mention of Peyton with any kind of injury.
We will stay on this rumor and push to get more information. Obviously, I cannot tell you who this source is. My apologies. But, I don't see any reason for this source to lie to me about this kind of thing. If the rumor turns out to be bogus, I will write an apology to readers and take my lumps for being a 'rumor monger.' However, when I saw Peyton lying face down in the turf last week against the Texans last week, I did not see a healthy QB. Peyton looks hurt, and right now I'm telling you he is hurt.
That said, watch him go out there against the Giants and throw for 400 yards and 4 touchdowns. No one will ever question Big P's toughness around here. The guy once played with a broken jaw. Peyton eats lighting and craps thunder.
However, he is working behind what could be the worst offensive line we've seen in Indianapolis since 1997, the year before Peyton was drafted. If the Colts cannot consistently run the ball, this will require Peyton to throw more. More throwing means more pain, and more chances of him getting hit before or after he throws.
Been a fun week for injury news, hasn't it? Ugh...