Ouch

[Lucky Colts Fan]

The NFL website had a poll recently "Which injured QB are you most excited to see in 2018?" and the four choices were Andrew Luck, DeShaun Watson, Carson Wentz, and Aaron Rodgers.

 

47% voted for Deshaun Watson

21% voted for Aaron Rodgers

20% voted for Carson Wentz

 

and Luck?  He received 13% of votes. 

 

I guess the only people excited about the return of Luck are us Colts fans... 

[aaron11]

Houston is a far bigger market for one thing.  green bay is small, but there are a lot of packer fans around the world 

[Four2itus]

It's all about fear. Who wants to face a healthy Andrew Luck?

[Lucky Colts Fan]

Just now, aaron11 said:

Houston is a far bigger market for one thing.  green bay is small, but there are a lot of packer fans around the world 

 

It also seems like a lot of people have already written off Luck.  The other three QBs all played last year in at least a handful of games, but Luck hasn't played in more than a year and some are saying he's finished.

 

[Fisticuffs111]

Probably an unpopular opinion but I completely understand why people outside our fanbase feel this way. It's been so long since they've seen him play, and the only news that ever gets blown up nationally about Luck's injury/recovery has been negative for the most part, that they probably think it's closer to a Chad Pennington situation. And the only positive news that really has made it out to this point has been vague, "he's in a great place" kind of stuff, especially since Luck is (IMO rightfully) keeping the timetable to himself.

I myself had been pretty on the fence until I saw how jacked Luck was at his presser, especailly with how loose and laid back he seemed. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about how he'll look even after he shakes off the rust, and especially after he takes/accumulates hits.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Another silly Poll. Lets just crap on Indiana like the national media does with the Pacers too. How's that going so far  

[Yoshinator]

26 minutes ago, Four2itus said:

It's all about fear. Who wants to face a healthy Andrew Luck?

Honestly, if I was a fan of a team like the Steelers who was neutral towards this poll, I'd rather face a healthy Luck than a healthy Rodgers or Wentz. Watson also looked like the real deal before tearing his ACL. Luck has the most to prove and hasn't been elite since 2014. As far as fear goes, a fan of another team should fear him the least of the 4 until he proves he's 100%.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

I think as far as interesting/anxious/curious to see I would go with Watson & Wentz. Their so early in their career and interesting to see how they progress. Rogers you know he's the best and have seen him for years. Kinda the same with Luck, you seen his game, and if anything his gameplay MAY NOT be as good as before injury.

[Deadpool]

22 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Another silly Poll. Lets just crap on Indiana like the national media does with the Pacers too. How's that going so far  

I agree, Indy should be up 3-0 right now. Refs and the NBA were not having any of lebron losing. They were trying everything they could to help the cavs win. and I full expect the same today. Bet Oladipo to have 2 fouls in the first minute again. 

[midwest]

I like to put the shoe on the other foot.  If Brady or Big Ben had been out for over a year, with an unknown return date, plus the fact it is this time of year and he is not at 100% I would be tickled pink.  I hope Luck proves me wrong and comes back to lead us on a run like Manning did.  I would love our chances against any quarterback who is in Lucks current position.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Only QB that is better on that list when healthy is Rodgers.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Until guys like Wentz, Carr, Cousins, Watson win a Playoff game, Luck when healthy has to be considered better. He's a proven Playoff QB with 3 wins. Hell even Bortles has 2 Playoff wins . People need to quit putting QB's on a pedestal after 1 Very Good/Great season. Look how much Carr re-gressed last season. Luck was Very Good for 3 seasons in a row, Great in 2014. His 2016 Season was actually Good and he was playing injured all year. Wentz is on such a loaded team that they didn't even need him to win the SB, Foles was able to win it all with the Eagles.

[Fisticuffs111]

4 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Until guys like Wentz, Carr, Cousins, Watson win a Playoff game, Luck when healthy has to be considered better. He's a proven Playoff QB with 3 wins. Hell even Bortles has 2 Playoff wins . People need to quit putting QB's on a pedestal after 1 Very Good/Great season. Look how much Carr re-gressed last season. Luck was Very Good for 3 seasons in a row, Great in 2014. His 2016 Season was actually Good and he was playing injured all year. Wentz is on such a loaded team that they didn't even need him to win the SB, Foles was able to win it all with the Eagles.

I think that's just it though, a lot of people outside our fanbase don't think he'll ever really be healthy, or at least fully healthy again.

[2006Coltsbestever]

4 minutes ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

I think that's just it though, a lot of people outside our fanbase don't think he'll ever be healthy, or at least fully healthy again.

Yeah maybe they don't so great point but a lot of us do. That is why I put when healthy in bold. It's a wait and see game. Lets pray . I am one that thinks he will but I have been wrong many times.

[mirobi48]

Luck needs to come in and prove himself as a top tier QB. 

 

[Myles]

It's the word "excited"  that scewed the poll in favor of Watson.    It is understandable that people want to see what he will come back and do.   He was a very exciting player in the games he started.  

[2006Coltsbestever]

11 minutes ago, Myles said:

It's the word "excited"  that scewed the poll in favor of Watson.    It is understandable that people want to see what he will come back and do.   He was a very exciting player in the games he started.  

Very true.

[Maniac]

Sadly, I bet most of them probably think Luck won't be playing.

[southwest1]

2 hours ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

Probably an unpopular opinion but I completely understand why people outside our fanbase feel this way. It's been so long since they've seen him play, and the only news that ever gets blown up nationally about Luck's injury/recovery has been negative for the most part, that they probably think it's closer to a Chad Pennington situation. And the only positive news that really has made it out to this point has been vague, "he's in a great place" kind of stuff, especially since Luck is (IMO rightfully) keeping the timetable to himself.

I myself had been pretty on the fence until I saw how jacked Luck was at his presser, especailly with how loose and laid back he seemed. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about how he'll look even after he shakes off the rust, and especially after he takes/accumulates hits.

I've never understood that actually. In ever other facet of life, a prolonged period of time without something makes you crave it even more when it finally returns: Electricity, food, water, sex, or your favorite team QB. Plus, redemption stories when somebody beats insurmountable odds to return to form is always a ratings giant. 

 

You're cool FC11; I've got no qualms with you whatsoever man. I just don't buy into the ESPN & NFL Network hate INDY narrative.  I believe it exists. I just choose to ignore it because we all know when Luck comes back like gangbusters all these same networks will be tripping over themselves to broadcast Colts games. Trust me. 

[1959Colts]

I get the feeling everyone is in doubt of Lucks return. Hence the low number of votes.

[southwest1]

2 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Honestly, if I was a fan of a team like the Steelers who was neutral towards this poll, I'd rather face a healthy Luck than a healthy Rodgers or Wentz. Watson also looked like the real deal before tearing his ACL. Luck has the most to prove and hasn't been elite since 2014. As far as fear goes, a fan of another team should fear him the least of the 4 until he proves he's 100%.

I'm with you on Wentz & Watson those 2 field generals are legit & the real deal no question. 

 

Just because Luck hasn't seen game action since the DeFlate Game vs the Pats doesn't mean his elite mojo has dropped. Give him a chance to play again in a meaningful game & then judge his play accordingly. If anything, the fact that Chewbacca's last game action was just prior to a SB appearance how does his cache descend? If he returns & looks out of sync that's 1 thing, but a lack of playing time has little to nothing to do with his performance under center when his last playoff run was pretty impressive JC. 

 

Yes, I know INDY got massacred in that Championship game. Very true, but Andrew got us there. 

[Yoshinator]

12 minutes ago, southwest1 said:

I'm with you on Wentz & Watson those 2 field generals are legit & the real deal no question. 

 

Just because Luck hasn't seen game action since the DeFlate Game vs the Pats doesn't mean his elite mojo has dropped. Give him a chance to play again in a meaningful game & then judge his play accordingly. If anything, the fact that Chewbacca's last game action was just prior to a SB appearance how does his cache descend? If he returns & looks out of sync that's 1 thing, but a lack of playing time has little to nothing to do with his performance under center when his last playoff run was pretty impressive JC. 

 

Yes, I know INDY got massacred in that Championship game. Very true, but Andrew got us there. 

If he's back to his 2014 self, we'll be fine. Lets hope he can revert back to that. The good thing is that he only declined due to injury, but the question is, can he revert back to pre-injury form? Lets hope so. If he does, we're back in the playoff hunt.

[Nesjan3]

Colts fans are the only NFL fans who believe Andrew Luck will actually return to his hold self. Most people are writing him off

[2006Coltsbestever]

5 minutes ago, Nesjan3 said:

Colts fans are the only NFL fans who believe Andrew Luck will actually return to his hold self. Most people are writing him off

Odd I guess non Colts fans are doctors that know he is done I guess .

[southwest1]

5 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

If he's back to his 2014 self, we'll be fine. Lets hope he can revert back to that. The good thing is that he only declined due to injury, but the question is, can he revert back to pre-injury form? Lets hope so. If he does, we're back in the playoff hunt.

I read ya. I'm not mad at you or anybody who is uneasy right now. That's normal & even SW1 isn't foolish to tempt fate & antagonize the football gods by saying Luck will be perfect & give all the naysayers a French gesture. Enough said. 

 

Watching that Tom House video & listening to that Steve Delabar clip in another thread made me feel better about Luck's recovery though. Once I can get a window into an athlete's recovery program, I have a sense of relief because it's no longer a mystery to me. I have something to chew on & hang my hat on now. 

[Yoshinator]

1 minute ago, southwest1 said:

I read ya. I'm not mad at you or anybody who is uneasy right now. That's normal & even SW1 isn't foolish to tempt fate & antagonize the football gods by saying Luck will be perfect & give all the naysayers a French gesture. Enough said. 

 

Watching that Tom House video & listening to that Steve Delabar clip in another thread made me feel better about Luck's recovery though. Once I can get a window into an athlete's recovery program, I have a sense of relief because it's no longer a mystery to me. I have something to chew on & hang my hat on now. 

That's one positive. Another positive is the trade down from 3 to 6. Not only are the picks we got amazing, but the fact that we moved down is probably telling that Ballard knows something about Luck's recovery that we don't, and it's trending in the right direction. We should be positive as of now. 

[jameszeigler834]

3 hours ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

The NFL website had a poll recently "Which injured QB are you most excited to see in 2018?" and the four choices were Andrew Luck, DeShaun Watson, Carson Wentz, and Aaron Rodgers.

 

47% voted for Deshaun Watson

21% voted for Aaron Rodgers

20% voted for Carson Wentz

 

and Luck?  He received 13% of votes. 

 

I guess the only people excited about the return of Luck are us Colts fans... 

He is always been disrespected.

[southwest1]

6 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

That's one positive. Another positive is the trade down from 3 to 6. Not only are the picks we got amazing, but the fact that we moved down is probably telling that Ballard knows something about Luck's recovery that we don't, and it's trending in the right direction. We should be positive as of now. 

Exactly JC, the more we drop in the draft the more holes we get to fill faster ahead of schedule. I'm all mocked draft out though. Reading them I mean. After awhile, they are all a blur like pick up lines at a bar. What you think will happen never does & every once in awhile the dumbest move actually pays dividends. 

 

I looked at your NFL draft thread last night. Your bold prediction post etc. etc. I just want the darn draft to get here already. I like certainty. Hypotheticals gets old fast. Good job. I just can't look at that stuff anymore. 

[ReMeDy]

Who's Deshaun Watson? Who's Carson Wentz? And isn't that Aaron Rogers guy the Discount Double Check guy? I never knew he played QB.

[OffensivelyPC]

2 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Until guys like Wentz, Carr, Cousins, Watson win a Playoff game, Luck when healthy has to be considered better. He's a proven Playoff QB with 3 wins. Hell even Bortles has 2 Playoff wins . People need to quit putting QB's on a pedestal after 1 Very Good/Great season. Look how much Carr re-gressed last season. Luck was Very Good for 3 seasons in a row, Great in 2014. His 2016 Season was actually Good and he was playing injured all year. Wentz is on such a loaded team that they didn't even need him to win the SB, Foles was able to win it all with the Eagles.

And against the Patriots no less.

[richard pallo]

He hasn't played in over a year compared to the other QB's in the poll.  That's an eternity for fans.   

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, OffensivelyPC said:

And against the Patriots no less.

Yeah. I mean the Eagles beat the Falcons, Vikings, and Pats without Wentz, pretty unreal. Foles was lights out!

[Fisticuffs111]

2 hours ago, southwest1 said:

I've never understood that actually. In ever other facet of life, a prolonged period of time without something makes you crave it even more when it finally returns: Electricity, food, water, sex, or your favorite team QB. Plus, redemption stories when somebody beats insurmountable odds to return to form is always a ratings giant. 

 

You're cool FC11; I've got no qualms with you whatsoever man. I just don't buy into the ESPN & NFL Network hate INDY narrative.  I believe it exists. I just choose to ignore it because we all know when Luck comes back like gangbusters all these same networks will be tripping over themselves to broadcast Colts games. Trust me. 

 

I don't think those comparisons work really. The people I'm talking about are acting like he's done or at the very least diminished, so that's why it's not exciting to them. They've already made up their minds that it's Chad Pennington all over again. Do I think their right? No, but I get why they think that.

As for the bolded, I'm not sure if you're implying that's what I meant but if so, it's not what I'm trying to say. I'm just trying to explain to some of you guys how people outside the fanbase think. If you don't care that's fine, but I was just trying to clear up why I thought people were confused. IMO, if it were any other QB on any other team, some fans would have the same pessimistic outlook.

[southwest1]

24 minutes ago, ReMeDy said:

Who's Deshaun Watson? Who's Carson Wentz? And isn't that Aaron Rogers guy the Discount Double Check guy? I never knew he played QB.

You know what you're exactly right RMDY. GB is a tiny football city & I haven't seen a ground swell of reporters claim that Rodgers broken collarbone could spell the end of cheese head lure in WI. 

 

Skip Bayless is the only guy I know trying to start a Foles controversy if Carson Wentz plays like crap when he starts taking reps again, which also ticks his FS1 co-host off. It makes me chuckle.   I like Shannon Sharpe & normally don't abandon him like this. I just get a kick out of how any attempt to undercut "Walk It To Him" Wentz always gets under his skin. 

 

ACL tears in left knees are pretty serious too & yet somehow the sports media acts like it's a given that Watson won't miss a beat on his return. Ironic isn't it? The doubt double standard I mean. Deshaun is golden while Andrew is screwed & somehow a former shell of himself. SMH man. Not at you just the sky is falling critics out there. 

 

[southwest1]

20 minutes ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

I don't think those comparisons work really. The people I'm talking about are acting like he's done or at the very least diminished, so that's why it's not exciting to them. They've already made up their minds that it's Chad Pennington all over again. Do I think their right? No, but I get why they think that.

As for the bolded, I'm not sure if you're implying that's what I meant but if so, it's not what I'm trying to say. I'm just trying to explain to some of you guys how people outside the fanbase think. If you don't care that's fine, but I don't know why our fans act mystified by those opinions. Because IMO, if it were any other QB on any other team, a lot of our fans would have the same pessimistic outlook.

Chad Pennington had a series of nagging shoulder problems while a lacerated kidney & a throwing shoulder injury against the Orange Crush 'No Fly Zone" in Denver hardly warrants Pennington comparisons in my mind. If we get Luck better protection up front & a faster release everything will be fine. 

 

"if it were any other QB on any other team, a lot of our fans would have the same pessimistic outlook."

 

Loyalty begins at home does it not? All franchises hunker down & isolate the outside world. It's standard operating procedure. Us vs the world right? If we don't defend Chewbacca, then who will? Comes with the tribal territory baby. 

 

It's not that we refuse to listen to dissenting viewpoints FC11; It's just that we already know what pundits think of us & their contempt & doubt never changes. 

 

Look, I'm not putting you there specifically. All I mean is this: When we never get any respect nationally, don't be surprised when we go into protection mode of Luck. To this day, we never get credit for our Lombardi win in 2006. The false narrative is always this: Rex Grossman played like s**t & Lovie Smith was reluctant to keep blitzing Manning. Not that we won in the rain under identical conditions of down pouring rain. 

 

I get that people will believe whatever they want to once their minds are made up. I'm not in the persuasion business. I just know comedian Rodney Dangerfield & the Colts can never get "respect" no matter what victories we achieve. There's always some caboose hole with an artificial qualifier out there to diminish an INDY milestone. 

 

 

[Fisticuffs111]

19 minutes ago, southwest1 said:

 

It's not that we refuse to listen to dissenting viewpoints FC11; It's just that we already know what pundits think of us & their contempt & doubt never changes. 

 

 

Oh yeah, I'm not saying people here are refusing to listen to it, or I'm not trying to. I was just trying to explain why there is a lack of interest/excitement about us, because some seem genuinely curious or confused by it.

And you're right, some of it has to do with a disdain for our franchise. Irsay's kind of polarizing, and going from Manning to Luck is the source of a lot of jealousy, even though those same people try to talk down our past accomplishments.

[southwest1]

@Fisticuffs11 I liked what you said. I wasn't furious at you personally. Your information/POV was right on the money. 

 

I'm a taurus & sometimes when I get furious, I blow my top & go off like a volcano. I wasn't aiming my vemon at you. I just get sick & tired of the same crap wrapped up in a new bow I guess. 

 

Yeah, Jimmy our owner takes way too much heat. I know he's different & odd sometimes. Hades, so am I for that matter. Like the Bengals fanbase wouldn't love Jimmy as an owner. LOL! At least, we have won playoff games in this decade. Low blow I know, but the truth stings for a reason. 

 

Sorry for dominating this thread. I'm trying to improve on that. Shutting up so others can contribute. So much for that notion eh? My bad. 

[Fisticuffs111]

2 hours ago, southwest1 said:

@Fisticuffs11 I liked what you said. I wasn't furious at you personally. Your information/POV was right on the money. 

Oh it's cool, my first reply could've easily come off as snippy/defensive. I get the same way when I see other fanbases/media talk bad about Luck/the Colts, saying we've ruined him and will never be the same. All we can do is wait and hope for Luck to shut 'em up. But of course, even then they probably won't.

[GoColtsWin]

7 hours ago, BlackPanther said:

Sadly, I bet most of them probably think Luck won't be playing.

Or they’re hoping. Because if he comes back in the right shape physically and mentally(Better Decision Making) he’s gonna light the league up again. I know it’s just my hope/opinion, but I feel it in my bones. Here’s to drafting the foundation, and building on last years draft. After next years draft, we should know exactly what our Championship team will look like(Looking for a cpl higher profile free agents added also). Would just be nice to get over this Injury plague we suffer from. 

[RomanianColtsFan]

The truth is that it’s really hard to get excited about Luck’s return just based on (optimistic) words from Ballard and others associated with the team, need more than that.