Stampede Blue - Andrew Luck suffers lacerated kidney and abdominal tear, out 2-6 weeksAn Indianapolis Colts bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/29818/stampedeblue_fave.png2015-11-18T14:40:57-05:00http://www.stampedeblue.com/rss/stream/94799612015-11-18T14:40:57-05:002015-11-18T14:40:57-05:00Luck still around and involved despite injury
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<p>Despite his injuries, Andrew Luck is still around and involved with the Indianapolis Colts.</p> <p>For the first time in his NFL career, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Colts</a> quarterback <span>Andrew Luck</span> is listed as "week-to-week."</p>
<p>Luck suffered a lacerated kidney and a partially torn abdominal muscle in the Colts' 27-24 victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Denver Broncos</a> in week nine, and the injury is expected to keep him out for an extended period of time - estimated around a month or so. In the meantime, the Colts will turn things over to <span>Matt Hasselbeck</span> as the starting quarterback, but that doesn't mean that Luck won't be involved.</p>
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<p>"He's around now and he's out at practice," head coach Chuck Pagano said on Wednesday. "Obviously we keep everybody back, not only him right now but we keep everybody back out of the fray if they're not involved in a drill. Game day, we'll have to make a decision on what we're going to do."</p>
<p>That decision that Pagano has on gameday is not whether or not to play Luck (he won't play) but whether or not to have Luck on the sidelines like he was earlier this year. Pagano said that Luck should be alright to travel, but he wouldn't commit to having the quarterback around on the sidelines on gameday.</p>
<p>If Matt Hasselbeck has any say in it, however, he absolutely wants Luck around. "I told Andrew I'm going to rely on him heavily," Hasselbeck said on Monday. "We don't win the Jacksonville or the Houston game without his help. He was incredibly helpful. I pleaded with him, sort of begged him, ‘Hey, even though you're hurt and you're not with us, I need you to be with us.' He said, ‘Absolutely.' I just wanted to get him on record just in case anything went down. I anticipate that he'll be very helpful. My goal is really just to kind of hold the fort down until he gets back."</p>
<p>When Luck missed two games earlier this year with a shoulder injury, he was as involved as anyone on the sidelines, cheering on his teammates and providing whatever help he could to Hasselbeck. While Pagano wouldn't commit to having him around to do the same this time, it seems likely that if Luck is healthy enough to be there, the Colts will keep him involved. He's keeping that up this week, as he's around at practice and still very much a part of the team despite his injuries.</p>
<p>Pagano said that Luck is in good spirits even though he's not able to play. "He's a competitor and he wants to be out there with his teammates," Pagano said. "Spirits are good, [but] frustration? Absolutely."</p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/18/9757228/andrew-luck-still-around-and-involved-with-colts-despite-injuryJosh Wilson2015-11-12T12:28:06-05:002015-11-12T12:28:06-05:00Report: Campbell turns down offer to unretire
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<p>According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, quarterback Jason Campbell turned down the Colts' offer to unretire.</p> <p>With starting quarterback <span>Andrew Luck</span> sidelined for the foreseeable future with a lacerated kidney and a torn muscle in his abdomen, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Indianapolis Colts</a> are looking to add a quarterback to backup new starter <span>Matt Hasselbeck</span>. Yesterday, Pro Football Talk reported that <a href="http://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/11/9715826/report-colts-trying-to-lure-jason-campbell-out-of-retirement" target="_blank">the Colts were targeting Jason Campbell and were trying to lure him out of retirement</a> to fill that role, but it sounds like that won't be happening.</p>
<p>According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, Campbell turned down the Colts' offer to unretire.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><span>Jason Campbell</span> has rebuffed Colts overtures to bring him in. Not going to happen. He's essentially retired</p>
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/status/664612537053413376">November 12, 2015</a>
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<p>ESPN's Adam Schefter reported yesterday that f<a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/664538296199086080" target="_blank">our teams have tried to get Campbell to unretire</a> this season but none have been successful, and that if Campbell returns it will be next season instead of this year. So, while the Colts reportedly were trying to lure Campbell out of retirement, it won't be happening.</p>
<p>Indy's interest in Campbell makes sense when considering the fact that he started eight games for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> in 2013 under head coach Rob Chudzinski - who is the Colts' new offensive coordinator. Bringing in a quarterback who Chud is familiar with and who knows the system would be a logical move, as Campbell could help make the transition as Chud figures to put in more elements of his own offense into the playbook.</p>
<p>Ultimately, however, this isn't a huge deal for this reason: if Matt Hasselbeck goes down, the Colts are in serious trouble no matter who they get to back him up. It's trouble enough with Andrew Luck hurt, but Hasselbeck is as good of a backup as there is in the league. He showed earlier this year that he's more than capable of filling in as the starter, and he should be able to do that again over the next month or so. So if something happens to him, the Colts are in major trouble (so please, Matt, if you're reading this, stay away from Chipotle for the time being).</p>
<p>The Colts still need to sign a backup quarterback for Hasselbeck, however, as they're not just going to roll with him and then <span>Alex Tanney</span> on the practice squad. They have options, such as the recently released <span>Charlie Whitehurst</span>, who was previously the backup for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.musiccitymiracles.com/">Tennessee Titans</a>. He's not great, but he has played recently and has started some games over the past few years, which would give Indy a reliable veteran behind Hasselbeck. Regardless of who they go after, however, two things are clear: they need to add another quarterback and let's hope he never sees the field.</p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/12/9723818/report-jason-campbell-turns-down-colts-offer-to-unretireJosh Wilson2015-11-11T14:44:05-05:002015-11-11T14:44:05-05:00Colts trying to lure Campbell out of retirement?
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<p>According to Pro Football Talk, the Colts are trying to lure Jason Campbell out of retirement to backup Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Indianapolis Colts</a> currently have two open spots on their 53-man roster, and they also only have one healthy quarterback in <span>Matt Hasselbeck</span>. If you do the math, it is certain that the Colts will fill one of those spots with a quarterback, adding a backup for Hasselbeck while Luck recovers from a lacerated kidney and torn abdominal muscle that is expected to sideline him for several weeks.</p>
<p>According to Pro Football Talk, the Colts are indeed trying to sign a quarterback. More specifically, they are trying to lure <span>Jason Campbell</span> out of retirement.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Per source, Colts are trying to lure QB Jason Campbell to unretire. He played for <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Browns</a> the year Rob Chudzinski was the team's head coach.</p>
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/664524311370334208">November 11, 2015</a>
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<p>Campell was drafted in the first round of the 2005 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">NFL Draft</a> by the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Redskins</a> out of Auburn, and Campbell spent five seasons with the Redskins - including starting all 16 games in 2008 and 2009. He then spent two years with the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders" class="sbn-auto-link">Oakland Raiders</a> (2010-2011), one year with the <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Bears</a> (2012), one year with the Cleveland Browns (2013), and one year with the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cincinnati Bengals</a> (2014). He then planned to retire quietly this past offseason.</p>
<p>In his ten-year career, Campbell played in 90 games (starting 79) and completed 1,519 of 2,518 passes (60.3%) for 16,771 yards (6.7 yards per attempt), 87 touchdowns, and 60 interceptions for a passer rating of 81.7. He also rushed for 1,204 yards and six touchdowns while averaging five yards per carry.</p>
<p>As PFT notes, Campbell played for the Browns in 2013 under head coach Rob Chudzinski, and Campbell started eight games that year (playing in nine). Because of Chud's familiarity with Campbell and because of Campbell's experience in the NFL, it makes sense that the Colts would be interested in him. He's familiar with Chudzinski's offense and therefore could help the transition to Chud as the Colts' offensive coordinator.</p>
<p>Of course, it remains to be seen whether Jason Campbell is willing to come out of retirement to back up Matt Hasselbeck for the next month-plus, but according to this report from Pro Football Talk, that's who the Colts are currently targeting. They're surely going to add a quarterback, so it might be another veteran signed out of retirement after an injury to the starting quarterback. What could go wrong with that? Another option the Colts could consider is Charlie Whitehurst, who was just released by the Titans today. Ultimately, however, while the Colts absolutely need depth behind Hasselbeck, if he goes down, they are in serious, serious trouble. It's already tough enough losing <span>Andrew Luck</span>, but Hasselbeck is the best backup quarterback in the league and is very reliable. So if he's injured, the Colts will need someone to step in, but it probably doesn't matter who they sign to do that - because either way, if Hasselbeck goes down, it won't be good.</p>
<p><b>UPDATE: </b><a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/664538296199086080" target="_blank">According to ESPN's Adam Schefter</a>, four teams have tried to lure Campbell out of retirement this year but none have succeeded. Schefter says it is "highly unlikely" that Campbell will return this year.</p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/11/9715826/report-colts-trying-to-lure-jason-campbell-out-of-retirementJosh Wilson2015-11-11T13:11:07-05:002015-11-11T13:11:07-05:00Colts re-sign QB Alex Tanney to the practice squad
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<p>The Indianapolis Colts made some practice squad moves on Tuesday, including bringing back quarterback Alex Tanney.</p> <p>After announcing yesterday afternoon that starting quarterback <span>Andrew Luck</span> has a lacerated kidney and a partially torn abdominal muscle, the <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Colts</a> made a move to sign a quarterback - just not to the active roster. The team brought back <span>Alex Tanney</span> to the practice squad, who was on the practice squad earlier in the year when Luck was injured. In addition, they also signed safety <span>Dezmen Southward</span> to the practice squad and waived quarterback <span>Matt Blanchard</span> and guard <span>Kitt O'Brien</span>.</p>
<p>Tanney spent three weeks on the Colts' practice squad earlier this year while Andrew Luck recovered from a shoulder injury, providing the team with another arm in practice (though not for games). He also spent very brief time on the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bills</a> practice squad earlier this season and was in training camp and preseason with the Titans, and in 2014 he spent some time on the <a href="https://www.musiccitymiracles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Titans</a> practice squad. In 2013, he was a member of the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cowboys</a> practice squad for 12 weeks before being signed by the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Browns</a> to their active roster. In 2012, he was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Monmouth by the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas City Chiefs</a>, though he spent his rookie season on injured reserve. Tanney holds the NCAA Division III career records in both passing yards (14,249) and passing touchdowns (157) and was named the Midwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year three times.</p>
<p>The Colts absolutely needed to add a quarterback and Tanney provides someone that they are familiar with from earlier this year, but they still will need to add someone to the active roster. With Andrew Luck injured, only <span>Matt Hasselbeck</span> is healthy among the active quarterbacks, so look for the Colts to add someone to the 53-man roster at that position. <span>Josh Johnson</span>, who was their backup earlier in the year when Luck was injured, is currently on the Bills roster, making him unavailable. The Colts currently have two open spots on their 53-man roster, and it would be a big surprise if one of them wasn't filled with a quarterback.</p>
<p>As for Dezmen Southward, he was waived by the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Falcons</a> last week after being drafted by Atlanta in the third round of last year's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">NFL Draft</a>. He has played in 18 career games and has recorded 21 tackles, a sack, two passes defensed, and an interception. An Indianapolis native, Southward played collegiately at Wisconsin, where he set a school record by playing in 54 consecutive games. He started 30 games in his career and racked up 152 tackles (11.5 for loss), two forced fumbles, two picks, and 11 passes defensed.</p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/11/9714996/colts-re-sign-quarterback-alex-tanney-to-the-practice-squad-dezmen-southwardJosh Wilson2015-11-11T10:28:29-05:002015-11-11T10:28:29-05:00Report: Colts expect Luck to miss at least a month
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<p>According to ESPN's Ed Werder, the Colts expect quarterback Andrew Luck to miss at least a month and perhaps more.</p> <p>After the <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Colts</a> announced yesterday that quarterback <span>Andrew Luck</span> suffered a lacerated kidney and a partially torn abdominal muscle, they placed the timeline for recovery at 2-6 weeks, while also noting that they're not sure how long Luck will be out but that they won't put him back out on the field until he's fully healthy.</p>
<p>Of course, the short end of that estimation (two weeks) seemed very unrealistic and it was more likely Luck would miss closer to the full range of that recovery time, though the uncertainty of the injuries made it hard to predict. According to ESPN's Ed Werder, however, the Colts expect Luck to miss at least a month and are prepared for him to miss more than that.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colts?src=hash">#Colts</a> realistically expecting QB Andrew Luck to miss at least a month and team prepared for potentially longer absence, per league source</p>
— Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Edwerderespn/status/664427380652572672">November 11, 2015</a>
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<p>Let's get this much straight: the Colts need to make sure Luck is healthy first and foremost. This isn't primarily an issue of getting him back on the football field as much as it is getting him healthy. It's not like an ankle tweak or something like that; this is a lacerated kidney and a torn muscle in his abdomen. The first priority is getting Luck healthy, and they're not going to put him on the football field until that happens. That's the right thing to do, but that also means that it will likely be a bit lengthy in recovery time, even though surgery is not expected.</p>
<p>Missing a month would likely cause Luck to miss games against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Falcons</a>, <a href="https://www.bucsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Buccaneers</a>, <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Steelers</a>, and possibly <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jaguars</a>, while Werder notes that it's possible Luck would miss more than that. In his absence, <span>Matt Hasselbeck</span> will step in as the team's starting quarterback, and he showed earlier this year that he's capable of doing so. With an experienced, reliable guy like Hasselbeck ready to step up and a pretty easy second-half schedule, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/10/9707694/with-matt-hasselbeck-and-an-easy-schedule-the-colts-may-still-be-fine?_ga=1.240502721.396029486.1445442390">it's clear that the Colts aren't dead yet.</a> They can still get to where they want to go (winning the division and making the playoffs), but it's obvious that the Colts will need Luck back if they hope to make a playoff run. Either way, the first priority needs to be getting Luck healthy, and while that happens, it sounds like the Colts are expecting him to miss at least a month and perhaps more.</p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/11/9712988/report-colts-expect-andrew-luck-to-miss-at-least-a-monthJosh Wilson2015-11-10T19:13:02-05:002015-11-10T19:13:02-05:00Breaking Down the Play Where Luck Got Injured
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<p>Stampede Blue's Andrew Aziz breaks down the play where Andrew Luck is believed to have suffered his lacerated kidney and partially torn abdominal muscle. </p> <p>Today we found out that <span>Andrew Luck</span> will miss the next 2 to 6 weeks with a lacerated kidney and a partially torn abdominal muscle. This comes a day after finding out that <span>Henry Anderson</span> tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the season. In essence, you can say that the <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Colts</a> will be missing two of their 5 best players on the team for the at least the majority of the next 7 weeks.</p>
<p>The coaches (relayed by the local media) said that Luck got injured early in the 4th quarter on a scramble and by watching the slow-motion replay, it seems that he injured it on the first play of the fourth quarter.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Luck injury occurred early in 4th quarter vs. <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Broncos</a>. Took a hit on scramble and injured</p>
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) <a href="https://twitter.com/mchappell51/status/664171659096526848">November 10, 2015</a>
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<p>Here is the breakdown of the hit, frame by frame.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #1: Initial Formation & Route Design</h4>
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<p>The Colts were in a 2 receiver set, with a tight end on the right side of the line, with an H-Back and a tail back in the backfield. It's a play action play, with Bradshaw faking getting the ball. Here's how the routes go:</p>
<p>Coby Fleener (Aqua Blue): Runs a wheel route and he is the first read.</p>
<p><span>Andre Johnson</span> (Orange): Motions from the wide receiver spot to just outside the tight end. He then runs a seam up the middle. He is the second read.</p>
<p><span>Donte Moncrief</span> (Pinkish/Salmon): Runs a decoy route (seam in this case) to get the safety to come with him. He is not a read on this play and Luck does not look his way once.</p>
<p><span>Ahmad Bradshaw</span> (Red): He fakes the hand off, and does a check and release route. He takes on a block (blocks the right defensive tackle) and then runs a release pattern. He is the check down option.</p>
<p>The Broncos are lined up in their classic 3-4 front, with the weak-side side cornerback playing in man and the strong side cornerback playing in zone. The free safety is taking away the end zone and the strong safety has the middle of the field covered.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #2: Beginning of the Play</h4>
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<p>As the play starts, a couple of things become obvious. <span>Anthony Castonzo</span> is half a step behind <span>Von Miller</span>. A bad and/or unaware quarterback would not step up in the pocket and get sacked hard. Luckily, Luck steps up as we see in the following screenshots. We also see that Andre Johnson is essentially dead inside. <span>Coby Fleener's</span> wheel route is being taken away over the top, thanks to Talib's zone.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #3: Luck's First Look</h4>
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<p>This screenshot shows you Luck's first look. It is Fleener, as mentioned before, and although his trailer is backing off (because he's in a zone most likely), Talib is still committed to his zone and has taken away that route. As for Miller vs Castonzo, Castonzo has regained his half step that he has lost and is back in position, however, Miller is still close enough to Luck that he can swat the ball. Luck still needs to step up (which he does). Bradshaw has started his assignment, and is commited to blocking the right defensive tackle and helping out <span>Jack Mewhort</span> (the left guard).</p>
<h4>Screenshot #4: Luck's Second Read</h4>
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<p>As we look at his second read, things continue to develop. He's looking in Johnson's direction, but he's covered by the safety who picked him up in his zone. Luck has stepped up a yard and Castonzo finished the play strong, driving Miller out of the picture. Bradshaw has now begun the second part of his assignment and is now an option for Luck. In this case, he's the check-down guy.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #5: Luck's Check-Down Option</h4>
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<p>Luck's third read takes us to his check-down option. Luck begins his throwing motion, in hopes to take his check-down option, but at the last second notices the linebacker closing in quickly, so he pulls back and reloads. He's essentially out of options. The protection on this play has been very good.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #6: Luck Begins His Run</h4>
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<p>Alright, this is where things get saucy, folks! Luck begins to run with the ball. This is the right move in this situation. He's gone through his progressions, no one is open, so he doesn't force the ball and uses his legs as a weapon. Again, this is the smart move.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #7: Luck About to Declare Himself as a Runner</h4>
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<p>In this frame, we see Luck is about to cross the line of scrimmage and the Broncos linebacker (who was covering Bradshaw) realizes that Luck is officially running. There are two other Broncos trailing behind Luck.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #8: Luck About to Be Hit + Up-Close View</h4>
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<p>Nothing much here to say, but the linebacker is about to hit Luck. For people playing football now (especially on defense), look at how low the linebacker in his breakdown before the tackle. Getting low is the key in tackling.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #9: Initial Impact</h4>
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<p>As we see here, the Broncos linebacker (#59), <span>Danny Trevathan</span>, gets his head to the outside of Luck's body and has his left shoulder dig into the stomach area of Luck's body.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #10: Luck About to Go Down</h4>
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<p>Here is the continuation of the tackle. As we see, it's very good form with Trevathan's head to the outside of the body and his left shoulder helping make the tackle. Personally, I'm not sure if Luck's injury came from that impact, but it may have.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #11: Luck About to Be Sandwiched</h4>
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<p>This is where i think a lot of the damage happens. As Trevathan is driving him into the ground, #96 comes in from behind and essentially sandwiches Luck and drives him into the ground.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #12: Down Goes <strike>Frazier</strike> Luck</h4>
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<p>This isn't exactly a good position to be in. I believe the injury happens in this frame. Trevathan is driving Luck down, with his shoulder in Luck's stomach/front torso area (which is where the kidney and abdominal is). Then #96, <span>Vance Walker</span>, comes in from behind and squishes him with Trevathan still bringing him down. A lot of different areas get hit and if you look at Luck's body here, it's not in a good position.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #13: Walker Falling On Luck</h4>
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<p>Here is the end of the hit and the end of the play. Walker finally lands on Luck, to put the exclamation point on everything.</p>
<h4>Screenshot #14: The Aftermath</h4>
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<p>This is something no one noticed and something only caught on slow motion. Luck stayed down for an extra 4-5 seconds in this exact position, before one of his lineman helped him up. He also got up slowly and had a grimace on his face when he got up. He's clearly injured on the play, but because everything happens so quickly, no one can catch anything.</p>
<p>Luck went on to throw 7 more passes, including a touchdown pass on the next play. Having played football before, I understand what's it's like to have an injury and not feel it until after the game. Adrenaline can mask A LOT of things and that is my only explanation for why Luck continued to play. Funny enough, <span>Keenan Allen</span> suffered the same injury against the <a href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Packers</a>, came out the next play and did not come back in. This shows you just how tough Andrew Luck is and what type of person he is.</p>
<p>Reports say that Luck will miss 2 to 6 weeks with both these injuries, but Dr. David Chao, MD, former NFL head team physician, said that 2 weeks is a very optimistic projection. He also ruled out his ribs injury from earlier in the season being a trigger for this issue.</p>
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<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Likely no relationship between <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AndrewLuck?src=hash">#AndrewLuck</a> reported Week 3 ribs & Week 9 kidney laceration. Rib fractures well healed by 6 weeks. <a href="https://twitter.com/Colts">@Colts</a></p>
— David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProFootballDoc/status/664199302894350336">November 10, 2015</a>
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<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AndrewLuck?src=hash">#AndrewLuck</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Colts">@Colts</a> Return to play: Kidney is a safety issue. Abdominal is a performance issue. Either way, 2 weeks is extremely optimisitic.</p>
— David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProFootballDoc/status/664202658706665473">November 10, 2015</a>
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<p>The Colts will be without Andrew Luck for the next little while, meaning it's time for <span>Matt Hasselbeck</span> to come in and defy the odds once more. The Colts have a much needed bye week this week, followed by the remaining 7 games.</p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/10/9707796/breaking-down-the-play-where-andrew-luck-got-injuredAndrew Aziz2015-11-10T17:45:14-05:002015-11-10T17:45:14-05:00With Hasselbeck & easy schedule, Colts still fine
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<figcaption>Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Colts will be playing without Andrew Luck for a little bit while he recovers from a lacerated kidney and torn abdominal muscle, but with Matt Hasselbeck there to step in and with an easy second-half schedule, the Colts may still be fine.</p> <p>Earlier this afternoon, the <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Indianapolis Colts</a> announced that starting quarterback Andrew Luck <a target="_blank" href="http://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/10/9706344/andrew-luck-suffered-kidney-laceration-abdominal-tear-in-win-over-broncos">suffered a lacerated kidney and a partially torn abdominal muscle</a> in Sunday's win over the <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Denver Broncos</a>, an injury that is expected to put him out somewhere between two to six weeks. The timeline is uncertain because of the uncertain nature of the injury, but this much is clear: for the time being, <span>Matt Hasselbeck</span> is the Colts' starting quarterback.</p>
<p>That's not as scary of a thought as it would have seemed at the beginning of the season, as Hasselbeck stepped in admirably for two games earlier this year when Luck was out with a shoulder injury. In a span of five days, Hasselbeck helped the Colts to wins over two division rivals (the <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jacksonville Jaguars</a> and the <a href="https://www.battleredblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Texans</a>), completing 48 of 76 passes (63.2%) for 495 yards (6.51 yards per attempt), three touchdowns, and no interceptions for a passer rating of 95.0 - including one game in which he was very sick. He wasn't the dynamic playmaker that Luck can be, but he's about as good as it gets when it comes to a backup quarterback.</p>
<p>The Colts brought him back this offseason to return as <span>Andrew Luck's</span> backup for a third season, and this is exactly the reason why: if something were to happen to Luck (and this year has been brutal for him as he's dealt with shoulder, rib, ankle, and now abdominal injuries), Hasselbeck could step in and play well. He has produced in his 17-year NFL career, completing 60.5% of his passes for 35,443 yards (6.9 yards per attempt), 206 touchdowns, and 148 interceptions for an 82.5 passer rating. And after a shaky preseason, Hasselbeck showed that he can still play when he filled in for Luck earlier this year.</p>
<p>Many will be quick to point out that Hasselbeck led the team to two wins against the awful AFC South, and that is correct. The Colts wouldn't have defeated the Denver Broncos on Sunday without Luck at quarterback, to be sure, and they're not going to compete with teams like the <a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New England Patriots</a> without their franchise quarterback playing well either. But here's the good news: the toughest part of the schedule is over. Three of the past four opponents that the Colts faced were undefeated at the time of the game, with two remaining that way. The slate of quarterbacks featured <span>Tom Brady</span>, <span>Drew Brees</span>, <span>Cam Newton</span>, and <span>Peyton Manning</span>. The defenses faced were (outside of New Orleans) very good. The Colts' last four opponents are a combined 27-6 on the season (.818). That's a very, very tough schedule.</p>
<p>Now, however, it lightens up. The Colts' last seven opponents after the bye week have a combined record of 24-34 this year (.414). Only two of those teams have a winning record: the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Falcons</a>, who have looked suspect recently and lost two in a row, and the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Steelers</a>, who could potentially face the Colts without their own quarterback, <span>Ben Roethlisberger</span> (depending on how long his recovery is). The schedule also faces rematches with the three AFC South opponents in three of the last four weeks of the season.</p>
<p>We don't know how long Andrew Luck will be out. If it's only two weeks, he'll miss just one game (but that seems like an overly optimistic estimate). If it's six weeks, he would be back sometime around week 15 or 16. In the meantime, it will be up to Matt Hasselbeck to keep the season alive, and it's perfectly reasonable to think that he can do so. The Colts probably won't go on an eight-game winning streak to close out the season now that Luck is injured (and they very likely wouldn't have before, either), but Hasselbeck is a good enough quarterback to help lead the Colts to some wins against a relatively light schedule. Besides, if the Colts sweep the AFC South division, those six wins could possibly be enough to win the division anyway.</p>
<p>It's a big loss for the Colts that Andrew Luck is injured, and the first priority needs to be getting him healthy, not getting him back on the field. Until those two things happen, Matt Hasselbeck will be starting for the Colts, and the season isn't over yet. The Colts weren't going to get one of the top three seeds in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-playoffs" class="sbn-auto-link">AFC playoffs</a> anyway unless they went on a run and another team fell apart, so the four seed is still looking likely. If they can take care of business against some bad football teams (especially the three AFC South opponents), they should still be in line to host a playoff game. So while it absolutely sucks that Luck is out, the Colts aren't dead yet, and a big reason why is because they have a trustworthy backup quarterback. Let's just hope Matt Hasselbeck stays Chipotle-free for the rest of the season.</p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/10/9707694/with-matt-hasselbeck-and-an-easy-schedule-the-colts-may-still-be-fineJosh Wilson2015-11-10T15:08:31-05:002015-11-10T15:08:31-05:00Luck suffers kidney, abdomen injuries; out 2-6 wks
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<p>Colts quarterback Andrew Luck suffered a lacerated kidney and a partially torn abdominal muscle in the Colts' win over the Broncos, an injury that is expected to keep him out 2-6 weeks.</p> <p>Just when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Colts</a> fans were feeling good about a huge win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Denver Broncos</a> on Sunday, it was announced that the team actually suffered a huge loss. Quarterback <span>Andrew Luck</span> was injured on a scramble in the fourth quarter and suffered a lacerated kidney and a partial tear of an abdominal muscle. The Colts say it will not require surgery but will be a two-to-six week recovery.</p>
<p>The Colts said that Luck was injured in the fourth quarter and was sore after the game, but after he was feeling worse on Monday and so was sent for tests. Those tests revealed a laceration in one kidney and a partially torn muscle in his abdomen. The Colts said through a release that Luck "should not require surgery and full recovery from both [injuries] is expected within two to six weeks."</p>
<p>"It's way too early to guess how long Andrew will be out," head coach Chuck Pagano said, via the team release. "We're going to keep listening to the doctors and evaluating his progress on a week by week basis. We've got all the confidence in the world in <span>Matt Hasselbeck</span> and we're not going to put Andrew back out there until he's healed and ready to go."</p>
<p>Due to the nature of the injury, it's hard for the Colts to predict just how long Luck will be out, but for the time being Matt Hasselbeck is the Colts' starting quarterback. Hasselbeck started two games at quarterback for the Colts earlier this year while Luck was dealing with a shoulder injury and helped lead Indy to a 2-0 record, with wins over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jacksonville Jaguars</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Houston Texans</a>. He completed 48 of 76 passes (63.2%) for 495 yards (6.51 yards per attempt) and three touchdowns without an interception, good for a passer rating of 95.0. He's a capable backup, but the loss of Luck is still one that hurts a lot.</p>
<p>It has been a nightmare season for Luck, as he has dealt with a shoulder injury, reportedly had multiple fractured ribs, and was dealing with a slight ankle injury last week too - and now he suffered a lacerated kidney and a torn abdominal muscle. He has been totally beat up, and his play on the field has reflected that, as he has committed 13 turnovers this year and has struggled. On Sunday, however, he was fantastic, leading the Colts to a victory over the previously undefeated Broncos and their number one defense. Luck completed 21 of 36 passes (55.3%) for 252 yards (7 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns without an interception, good for a passer rating of 98.4. He also made several plays running the football (which is part of what makes him so dangerous), but it was a scramble in the fourth quarter where he was hit hard that injured him. That scramble appeared to be the one on the first play of the fourth quarter, when Luck tucked and ran for a gain of 4 on 2nd and 9. He was hit very hard, but on the very next play he threw a touchdown pass to Ahmad Bradshaw. After the injury, Luck completed 5 of 7 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, good for a 139.2 passer rating. He's incredibly tough, that's for sure.</p>
<p>If Luck is out just two weeks (which seems like a very optimistic viewpoint considering the injuries), he would only miss one game due to the Colts' bye week. If he is out six weeks, however, he wouldn't return until around week fifteen or sixteen. That's obviously a wide range, but it's likely because of the uncertain nature of the injury. The Colts aren't going to put Luck out there unless he's recovered and healthy, and it's hard to predict exactly when that will be.</p>
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2015/11/10/9706344/andrew-luck-suffered-kidney-laceration-abdominal-tear-in-win-over-broncosJosh Wilson