We all know if Peyton Manning’s knee doesn’t hold up, the Indianapolis Colts’ season is over. With Jim Sorgi at the helm, this is a five-win team at best.
The Colts desperately need help at left guard. Is this guy available to help?
Without the luxury of training camp and preseason to get in game shape and adjust to a constantly changing offensive line, these first few weeks will be dangerous for Manning.
His offensive line has endured more changes than Meg Ryan’s face the past couple years and he’s going to have to be quick on the trigger – particularly early in the season – to keep defenders off his knee.
In 2006 the Colts’ offensive line was at its best. Manning was sacked just 14 times and the team ran the ball at will in the postseason.
Last year, left tackle Tarik Glenn announced his retirement prior to training camp and the Colts plugged rookie Tony Ugoh into his spot. Ugoh struggled at times, but held his own. Injuries plagued the unit and it allowed 21 sacks in 2007. In the Colts’ first-round playoff exit, the team ran for just 44 yards and averaged 2.4 yards per carry.
Now, the offensive line is a mess. Right guard Jake Scott signed with the Titans in the offseason; left guard Ryan Lilja missed the preseason and was recently put on the PUP list, meaning he will miss the first six weeks of the season; and center Jeff Saturday will miss at least the first five weeks of the season with an injured MCL.
Who will replace Lilja, Scott, and Saturday isn’t exactly clear, but one thing is for sure – the Colts offensive line will feature a wealth of inexperience.
Expect rookies Steve Justice and Mike Pollak and third-year men Charlie Johnson and Dan Federkeil to see plenty of time. Of course Ugoh – a second year player – is in charge of protecting Manning’s blind side.
The Colts will begin the 2008 season with one offensive lineman who started in the Super Bowl just 18 months ago – Ryan Diem.
Taylor-Made Tirade 
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September 2, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Benny Lava
PEYTON DUCK! OH MY GOD YOUR KNEE NOOOOOOOOOO!
While Dungy and the rest of the team sing the company line of “we’ll be fine”, this has to be a huge concern for the ponies and their fans. The Colts should run the ball a great deal more to protect their tiny dancer, because we all know that Jim Sorgi does not have the ability to win a game for them. 5 wins without Peyton is nothing but a total homer number, I honestly question if the Colts could win one game without Peyton.
Saturday is out, Ugoh has looked like a rented mule this preseason, and Mario Williams told me the other day that he is hungry for bursa sacs.
“We’ll be fine” and “our undrafted rookies and 7th round picks will work out” might not hold as much weight this time around.
September 3, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Busman37
The Colts have looked worse in the preseason than at any point since Dungy’s arrival. We knew the offense would blow without Manning, but the first-team defense was awful.
If the Colts go on to win 12+ regular season games and have success in the playoffs, it confirms what we already know — that the NFL preseason is the biggest waste of time in sports … next to any soccer.
October 21, 2010 at 1:19 pm
joe
SUCK IT IN!!!