Should Manning Return To Stop The 0-16 Run?

[oldunclemark]

as you know..... Peyton Manning is on the active roster and he'll almost certainly try to play by the end of December.

Assuming that's the case...do you want him to return for the final 2 or 3 games simply so we DONT go 0-16.

For you draft-obcessed folks....we may still get the No.1 pick with a 2-14 record..

I want to know if Manning is Ok to play and I want him to know.

..and I dont want to go 0-16...//

..

which now seems likely if we dont beat Tennessee, Jacksonville or Carolina.

That stink doesn't wash off..

Shouldnt he come back..just to win.??

[icf]

Manning will not be playing this year....and rushing him back just so you win a meaningless game or two in December is just dumb.

[GoDeep]

No, 2-14, 0-16, who cares?

[JimJaime]

Why take the chance him being hurt in a meaningless game? No playoff implications, and w the way your O line been he be hit a lot.

[SyX]

Last time he missed training camp, he admitted to not being at full speed until October. Returning to practice in December doesn't necessarily translate to returning to games. I just don't see it happening. He's got pride, but he's also smart enough that he's not going to rush back and risk injury.

[oldunclemark]

Why take the chance him being hurt in a meaningless game? No playoff implications, and w the way your O line been he be hit a lot.

JJ...whenever he comes back ..he will risk being hurt...right?.

Dont you need to know NOW before the draft..??

I dont want to go into next season not knowing if he can play.

..and 0-16 is a LOT worse than 2-14. Seriously.

[Balzer40]

From everything I've read and heard from our resident Neurosurgen, it takes a minimum of 6 months for a full and complete fusion. So, since December will only be 4 months since his surgury I would say no. It would not be worth the risk IMO. Of course, we have no access to his medical records and don't know the extent of his procedure so I suppose its possible that he could be healed by then. Even if he is healed in late Dec. I don't see how he would be able to get back into football shape and have enough practice reps to be effective at all. I just don't see the point in it.

[oldunclemark]

Manning will not be playing this year....and rushing him back just so you win a meaningless game or two in December is just dumb.

ICF.

He's already said he wants to play again this season.

Why do you think he's not on injured reserve???

Are you going to tell him he cant...?

[AlaskaColtsFan]

NO

[JimJaime]

JJ...whenever he comes back ..he will risk being hurt...right?.

Dont you need to know NOW before the draft..??

I dont want to go into next season not knowing if he can play.

..and 0-16 is a LOT worse than 2-14. Seriously.

As another poster said you would not get a true judgement of what he is even if he is ready, as he be rusty and in non football shape. And while he can get injured at any time wouldnt it be smarter if the chance happened when it mattered and not in a face saving exercixe for the team?

[SilentHill]

No, why throw away a top 3 pick to have Manning play in meaningless games.

[oldunclemark]

From everything I've read and heard from our resident Neurosurgen, it takes a minimum of 6 months for a full and complete fusion. So, since December will only be 4 months since his surgury I would say no. It would not be worth the risk IMO. Of course, we have no access to his medical records and don't know the extent of his procedure so I suppose its possible that he could be healed by then. Even if he is healed in late Dec. I don't see how he would be able to get back into football shape and have enough practice reps to be effective at all. I just don't see the point in it.

Balzer..

you may know more abut this than I do,.

but I heard he could be cleared to play 3 months after the surgery and that's Dec. 1 ..

..again..why do you think hes not on injured reserve like Gary Brackett?

...A show of hands for who's going to walk up to Manning order him not to play the final 4 games?

[oldunclemark]

No, why throw away a top 3 pick to have Manning play in meaningless games.

again Hill.you dont neceessarily throw away the top pick...

..and you do it not to be 0-16..which is the anti-16-0

[oldunclemark]

As another poster said you would not get a true judgement of what he is even if he is ready, as he be rusty and in non football shape. And while he can get injured at any time wouldnt it be smarter if the chance happened when it mattered and not in a face saving exercixe for the team?

'

....HE needs to know if he can still play..and we definetly need to know

...That's more important than whether we draft 1 or 2..

..and 0-16 is a black mark for the franchise he has carried..

[gspdx]

Also - Manning coming back is no guarantee of a win, even when he is at full speed. Bringing him back for a game or two just doen't make sense. He will be rusty and not in football shape and it won't prove whether he can play or not.

[Jaric]

ICF.

He's already said he wants to play again this season.

Why do you think he's not on injured reserve???

Are you going to tell him he cant...?

So he can practice with the team. That's my theory anyway.

And to answer the original question, no, I don't think he should be back this year in meaningless games. I'd much rather him take the entire season off and if we go 0-16, well then we go 0-16. It's not worth risking the 2-3 years of his career he may have left over that.

[oldunclemark]

Also - Manning coming back is no guarantee of a win, even when he is at full speed. Bringing him back for a game or two just doen't make sense. He will be rusty and not in football shape and it won't prove whether he can play or not.

He wont come back unless he's at full speed..

He will have practiced for weeks.

and lets be honest..do you REALLY think he's not throwing a football softly right now????

...Guys...(and Gals)..He's not on injured reserve. He's NOT out for the year... He plans to come back

..and NOBODY is going to tell him he cant.

[WSO]

Just because Manning returns doesn't mean we are guaranteed a win. He will be a little rusty, the timing will be off etc. Remember a few years when Manning missed pre season and we started 3-4?

It would be absolutely dumb on the F/O or coachs part to start Manning at any point in the season now. Let him rest, heal up, and prepare him for 2012-2013

[gspdx]

Plus - being "cleared to play" doesn't necessarily mean he will be 100% healed. I would give this type of thing more time heal. We just won't know with a couple of games in December if he is really back or not.

[Balzer40]

Balzer..

you may know more abut this than I do,.

but I heard he could be cleared to play 3 months after the surgery and that's Dec. 1 ..

..again..why do you think hes not on injured reserve like Gary Brackett?

...A show of hands for who's going to walk up to Manning order him not to play the final 4 games?

I really think the 3 months they said after his surgury was wishful thinking and they probably thought we could be in a posistion to still make the playoffs at that time. It's pretty obvious now that this team isn't coming anywhere even close to the playoffs this season so I don't think they will trot him out there to play a couple of meaningless games.

[oldunclemark]

So he can practice with the team. That's my theory anyway.

And to answer the original question, no, I don't think he should be back this year in meaningless games. I'd much rather him take the entire season off and if we go 0-16, well then we go 0-16. It's not worth risking the 2-3 years of his career he may have left over that.

He's 36 Jaric.

If I was him..I'd want to play every game possible when I was healthy.

He cant 'take the rest fo the year off'

his days are numbered..

[icf]

ICF.

He's already said he wants to play again this season.

Why do you think he's not on injured reserve???

Are you going to tell him he cant...?

I think he was not on injured reserve before the season......

1) "just in case" the Colts managed to be 7-7 and had a chance at the playoffs in December.

2) So the fans would hold out some crazy hope that they would see him this season and know that all was not lost -- even though most of us feared that it was.

3) could practice late in the season -- even if just for practice -- so they could get a feel for his progress.

And yes, I would tell Manning not to play -- he of course couldn't care less what I told him. However, I would hope that the group running the team would tell him that it's not worth it and to take another 6 months and "hopefully" return to near 100% next July.

[Blue Horseshoe]

Absolutely not! Beyond the complete outrage that pulling him and throwing away a shot at a perfect season because the game was meaningless for playoff standings only to play him in an even more meaningless game just to avoid the stigma of 0-16 would be I actually want the stigma.

The only way to get this team fixed is to make the problems so glaringly apparent that they simply cannot be ignored. 0-16 could not be ignored.

[Jaric]

He's 36 Jaric.

If I was him..I'd want to play every game possible when I was healthy.

He cant 'take the rest fo the year off'

his days are numbered..

I know. That's precisely why rushing him back is a bad idea.

[oldunclemark]

Plus - being "cleared to play" doesn't necessarily mean he will be 100% healed. I would give this type of thing more time heal. We just won't know with a couple of games in December if he is really back or not.

Waiting until next year..means we dont know what to do about QB in the draft.

If he can play.,,we can forget the Andrew Luck silliness..

again...he plans to play

[oldunclemark]

I know. That's precisely why rushing him back is a bad idea.

Being cleared to play is not rushing back...

for our future...we need to know now....and the 0-16...that cant stand..

[No 1 Manning Fan]

again Hill.you dont neceessarily throw away the top pick... ..and you do it not to be 0-16..which is the anti-16-0

Exactly. I really don't want to be the the second 0-16 team. Let Detroit enjoy that distinction for a little while longer. Whether it is Manning in there, or Painter doesn't matter to me. Just win one, please!!! If it takes Manning coming back to win a meaningless game, then so be it.

[oldunclemark]

I think he was not on injured reserve before the season......

1) "just in case" the Colts managed to be 7-7 and had a chance at the playoffs in December.

2) So the fans would hold out some crazy hope that they would see him this season and know that all was not lost -- even though most of us feared that it was.

3) could practice late in the season -- even if just for practice -- so they could get a feel for his progress.

And yes, I would tell Manning not to play -- he of course couldn't care less what I told him. However, I would hope that the group running the team would tell him that it's not worth it and to take another 6 months and "hopefully" return to near 100% next July.

I hear you..

but we're not gong to know ANY MORE in August than we'll know in december.

Its just not that kind of injury...

Once he's cleared..he's cleared and it isnt going to get any better or worse.

That's my understanding of it..

His neck is not going to be 10 times stronger next fall that it will be in december.

the man needs to know if he can play..and the team needs to know..

Manning's never been hurt in a game..

[GoDeep]

Waiting until next year..means we dont know what to do about QB in the draft.

If he can play.,,we can forget the Andrew Luck silliness..

again...he plans to play

Why is the future of the QB position with an aging and ailing HoFer silly?

[Jaric]

Being cleared to play is not rushing back...

for our future...we need to know now....and the 0-16...that cant stand..

Come on now. You know there is a difference between being "cleared to play" and being injury free. And bringing Manning back risking further injury for one or two games is folly. If we go 0-16 without him, then so be it. We're in a transition period and will be for the next few years. Many of the players we've relied on are getting older and most of the players we drafted to replace them have not panned out. Very soon if we don't take action we're going to be completely void of talent and these sort of seasons will become the norm rather than the anomoly.

Risking Manning over what is essentially a meaningless game makes no long term sense (even if "long term" is only the next 2 years or so)

Going 0-16 will not be the end of the world. In fact, IMO it might actually solve more problems than it creates because it will force management to address structural issues which hold this franchise back.

[oldunclemark]

Why is the future of the QB position with an aging and ailing HoFer silly?

The silliness is the idea that Luck is a sure thing....or would even agree to play for us..(remember he has a choice)

..and its a fantasy to think that going 0-16 will spur the entire organizatoin to a rebirth...more thna 1-15 would.

I dont think we can prepare offensively for the future until Manning plays.

..and the stigma of 0-16 is just as large as the glamour of 16-0.

[icf]

Also to consider....playing Manning in wk 16 or 17 is no guarantee that they will win...much less the early Dec games.

Their December schedule is @ NE. @ Bal, Home vs TN & Houston and then @ Jacksonville.

Even with a healthy pre-injury Manning -- 3 of those games would be tough ones and that's not counting the home game against TN or the road game against Jax (which why they usually win, isn't generally an easy W).

More than a couple of those teams would take great pride (and probably risk a few 15 yrd penalties) to take out Manning.

I don't want a guy who hasn't taken a snap in a pre-season (much less regular season) game in almost 11 months going out there against those guys.

That said -- this is all silly -- I'm 99% sure that he won't play this season and 100% sure that he shouldn't.

[Steagles]

Caldwell strategy for this one: 140-0, make sure our starters don't get hurt. 0-14, you DARN WELL better do the same.

Edited October 25, 2011 by Jason Wyrick

[oldunclemark]

Also - Manning coming back is no guarantee of a win, even when he is at full speed. Bringing him back for a game or two just doen't make sense. He will be rusty and not in football shape and it won't prove whether he can play or not.

Manning coming back against jacksonville would almost guarantee us a win..

he's pretty good..if I remember it right. :shh:

[oldunclemark]

Caldwell strategy for this one: 140-0, make sure our starters don't get hurt. 0-14, you DARN WELL better do the same.

good point

[icf]

Manning coming back against jacksonville would almost guarantee us a win..

he's pretty good..if I remember it right. :shh:

Yes, you remember correctly.....but the guy you've watched for the last decade and the guy that starts that game are not going to be the same person in terms of reps / practice.

I don't doubt that he would be a huge step up over Painter/Collins/Dan O -- he probably is even injured -- and who knows maybe he comes out and leads the team to 35 points, but are you confident that "D" won't give up 38??

[oldunclemark]

Yes, you remember correctly.....but the guy you've watched for the last decade and the guy that starts that game are not going to be the same person in terms of reps / practice.

I don't doubt that he would be a huge step up over Painter/Collins/Dan O -- he probably is even injured -- and who knows maybe he comes out and leads the team to 35 points, but are you confident that "D" won't give up 38??

..another good point

peyton didnt play much 'D'

..but dont we have to try to win with all available players..especially when that 0-16 scarlet letter is permanent??

Free Peyton manning!!!

[jedi.creech]

Absolutely not! Beyond the complete outrage that pulling him and throwing away a shot at a perfect season because the game was meaningless for playoff standings only to play him in an even more meaningless game just to avoid the stigma of 0-16 would be I actually want the stigma.

The only way to get this team fixed is to make the problems so glaringly apparent that they simply cannot be ignored. 0-16 could not be ignored.

I 100% agree, if we pull a health Manning out of a "meaningless" game so the change of injury doesn't happen (even though we blow change to go 16-0.... Why would they risk injury to a questionable Manning in a meaningless game. The no IR is so he is allowed to practice. I pray we don't put him in a game this year, but hope to see him in practice.

[oldunclemark]

I 100% agree, if we pull a health Manning out of a "meaningless" game so the change of injury doesn't happen (even though we blow change to go 16-0.... Why would they risk injury to a questionable Manning in a meaningless game. The no IR is so he is allowed to practice. I pray we don't put him in a game this year, but hope to see him in practice.

He could get hurt in practice...Creech...obviously

[JimJaime]

He could get hurt in practice...Creech...obviously

In Practice he would wear the (red Ithink) jersey for no contact so IF he got hurt means something didnt heal right or an injury was going happen anyways. MORE IMPORTANTLY it answers all the important questions for the colts before the draft:

1. Is his arm strength back

2. If he still has IT. 9which I doubt he lost lol)

Basically practice lets you know everything you need to know with limited chance of injury. Also worse case scenerio the Colts draft Luck and find out Manning can go. They now can trade Luck OR Manning for a butt load of Draft picks and possibly a stud D player needed at the time.