2018 NFL Power Rankings: Philadelphia Eagles begin preseason on top
By Dan Parzych
32. Indianapolis Colts
Originally, the plan for the Indianapolis Colts last season was to get by the first couple of games without Andrew Luck under center while the quarterback continued to recover from offseason shoulder surgery. Instead, the Colts would end up seeing their quarterback watch all of the 2017 season from the sidelines after his shoulder injury turned out to be worse than expected, resulting in the team winning just four games all year.
Even if Luck has made progress over the last few months by showing he should be ready to go 100 percent by the time Week 1 rolls around, there are no guarantees in the NFL. And if Luck is unable to take a big hit from an opposing defender, Indianapolis could be in trouble if the quarterbacks receives some sort of setback.
When healthy, Luck has always made a strong case for being one of the league’s toughest quarterbacks, but this shoulder injury has changed things completely in his career. Only time will tell when it comes to whether Luck has what it takes to return to his elite level from a few years ago, but that’s always easier said than done since he also faces the challenge of not having the best supporting cast on both sides of the football.