Colts vs. Falcons: Clayton Geathers will start at safety; Bjoern Werner inactive

The Indianapolis Colts will take on the Atlanta Falcons today as both teams are returning from their bye week, and the Colts will begin the Matt Hasselbeck era at quarterback.  Hasselbeck is the team's new starter for the time being while Andrew Luck recovers from a lacerated kidney and a torn abdominal muscle, and the Colts are looking to get a big victory to help them stay atop the AFC South.

While some of the players who won't play are obvious (like Andrew Luck), there are some players who are healthy scratches that are worth discussing too.  Here's a complete list of the team's inactives for today's game, followed by some comments:

Andrew Luck, QB (kidney/abdomen)

Phillip Dorsett, WR (ankle)

Mike Adams, S (ankle)

Sio Moore, ILB

Denzelle Good, OL

Todd Herremans, OL

Bjoern Werner, OLB

The Colts will have Andrew Luck on the sidelines today helping out Matt Hasselbeck just like he was earlier this year when he missed two games, so Indy will need to be sure to protect him and keep him out of harm's way.  Phillip Dorsett is still working his way back from a fractured fibula, while Mike Adams was ruled out on Friday with an ankle injury suffered in the team's week nine game against the Broncos.

In place of Adams, rookie safety Clayton Geathers will make his first career start.  When Adams missed a game earlier this year, Colt Anderson stepped in and started, and Anderson has been the first one up when Adams goes out.  Today, however, Geathers will make his first start, and he's a player who has a lot of potential that will be fun to watch.  We'll see how he does today, but the Colts surely want to see what he can do (and I do too).

The Colts will also be replacing another injured defensive starter, as defensive lineman Henry Anderson is out for the year with a torn ACL suffered in the game against Denver.  Billy Winn will get the first shot at replacing him as he starts today, which shouldn't be a surprise - Winn has played the best of the candidates the Colts were considering.  Winn, Zach Kerr, and T.Y. McGill will likely all see playing time, but Winn will get the start.

The most interesting of the inactives is outside linebacker Bjoern Werner, as he's the most notable healthy scratch.  You have to think that the Colts are finally starting to give up on their 2013 first round draft pick who has been a total bust.  We saw that clearly last year, but the Colts wanted to bring him back and give him another shot.  His last hope at sticking around with the Colts was the move away from the rush linebacker spot to hopefully utilize his run defense more, but he hasn't produced there either.  The Colts have him inactive today and they won't miss much at all, and you have to think that the Colts are finally showing that they're giving up on Werner.

Also interesting is the fact that Daniel Adongo is active today.  The purpose behind promoting him from the practice squad was solely special teams, and that's an area that the Colts want to see him in and see if he can help out.  They'll get that chance today, as Adongo is one of the 46 players active.