Are Luck-less Colts tanking?

What is going on in Indianapolis? I know we are only in week two of the 2017 season but are the Colts in the early stages of tanking?

The mediocre Los Angeles Rams destroyed them last week, and they don’t look like improving anytime soon.

We know that their star quarterback Andrew Luck is injured after complications from offseason shoulder surgery, but we aren’t being told much more. Is it a long-term injury, will he be available at all this season, are they doing anything to bring him back sooner? All these questions are being left unanswered by the owner Jim Irsay and new GM Chris Ballard.

Luck has been officially ruled out of Mondays (AEST) game with the Arizona Cardinals. Jacoby Brissett will line up again this week in the QB role. But it’s not the position that’s the problem now. It’s the protection around him. In recent years the Colts have not done a lot to protect their key man. They have lost some talent on offence and have struggled to replace them.

Teams like the Browns and Jaguars have spent decades looking for a good QB. The Colts have one and won’t protect him. Luck has said himself, he feels ‘concerned’ they won’t put pieces into place around him. Luck is a solid QB, who could possibly bring them a Super Bowl if he had the right offensive line.

A wise man once told me “A QB is only as good as the men who are there to protect him” and if Luck was playing this season he would be spending a lot of time on his backside or hurrying throws to nobody.

Andrew Luck has been front and centre of the Colts offence since he was the first overall pick in the 2012 draft. In his five seasons to date, Luck has almost 20,000 passing yards to his name, three pro-bowl appearances and was the 2014 passing touchdown leader. Like I said earlier, he is a solid choice for QB.

This was evident before last season when the Colts signed him to a six-year extension worth $140 million, with $87 million guaranteed, making him the highest paid player in the league at the time. They don’t throw that kind of money around for anyone.

(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

This deal makes it hard for them to trade him away. So, is it possible they are trying to push him out?

This only raises more questions.

Why wouldn’t they just spend the money on their offensive line to provide protection for him? He is only young in QB terms, a 28-year-old passer should be entering his prime. He has the potential to bring them the trophy they desire for the first time since 2006.

The next question is, do they even want Luck to continue after this season?

Jacoby Brissett is a good young kid, but he is no Andrew Luck.

If the Colts keep Luck on the injury list, they won’t win too many games.

Are the looking toward next seasons quarterback heavy draft?

The 2018 NFL Draft is set to be rich with quality young quarterbacks. With the likes of Washington’s Luke Falk, USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and Wyoming’s Josh Allen all predicated to go in the first round, it could be a good time to finish with a poor NFL season record if you are chasing such a player.

If this is the way the Colts are tracking, look for Luck to stay on the sidelines for some time, head coach Chuck Pagano to be sacked within weeks and the boys from the north to lose a lot more games.