INDIANAPOLIS – Once again on Wednesday, the quarterback position was the injury watch at Colts practice.
A red No. 8 jersey was spotted at Wednesday's practice and Matt Hasselbeck was a full participant in the Colts first practice of the week.
Here are some sound bites from Hasselbeck, Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano meeting the media on Wednesday:Matt Hasselbeck on being a "full" participant at Wednesday's practice:
"I wasn't sure how today was going to go, but I was able to do my normal workload at practice."
Bowen's Analysis: After not feeling very well on Monday or Tuesday, Hasselbeck was a bit unsure coming into Wednesday on how practice would go. Things clearly went better than expected, with the quarterback participating "full" in the team's first practice of the week.
Hasselbeck said there was still some level of pain in practice, but it decreased as the reps grew. From a game-plan standpoint, Hasselbeck said after dissecting the Steelers film all the way through (twice), he was still frustrated at the missed opportunities for the offense. For a Wednesday though, this was about as good of news as the Colts could get from the injury status of their current starting quarterback.Andrew Luck on taking the next step with some sprints in his rehab:
"You got to get into shape to play in a football game, so there are steps to get there.
"That's definitely a big part of the step in the preparation."
Bowen's Analysis:* *On one practice field Wednesday, the Colts were in full prep mode for the Jaguars. On the adjacent field, Andrew Luck was in sprinting mode. Along with continuing to throw (around 50 throws, all types), Luck is trying to obviously get his conditioning back when it's time to return to the field.
Luck and Chuck Pagano won't offer a specific date for No. 12's return (Jim Irsay has mentioned Houston on 12/20, or Miami on 12/27). On Wednesday, Luck made it clear that he thinks he would need a couple of practice days before he does indeed return to game action.
Chuck Pagano on how much better Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has gotten since the Colts/Jaguars met in Week Four:
"He can make all the throws and can make plays on the run."
Bowen's Analysis: It's pretty remarkable seeing how the Jaguars offense has grown over the course of the season. After averaging a little more than 15 points per game the first four weeks of the season, the Jaguars have scored an average of 26.2 points in the last eight games.
Bortles is a major reason why. The second-year quarterback has plenty of skill weapons at his disposal with a 1,000-yard receiver in Allen Robinson, the first for the Jaguars since 2005 (Jimmy Smith). For the second straight week, the Colts are really going to be tested in the backend of their defense.**
INJURY NOTES**
Here is Wednesday's injury report:
- DNP: S-Colt Anderson (ankle), OT-Anthony Castonzo (knee), ILB-Jerrell Freeman (hamstring/ribs), C-Khaled Holmes (fibula), ILB-D'Qwell Jackson (quad), QB-Andrew Luck (abdomen/kidney), OLB-Erik Walden (foot), WR-Griff Whalen (hamstring)
-With some significant injuries at linebacker, the time is there for Sio Moore, Josh McNary and rookie Amarlo Herrera to take potentially many reps next to D'Qwell Jackson.
- LIMITED: CB-Greg Toler (knee)
-Toler has battled injuries all season long.
- FULL: QB-Matt Hasselbeck (neck/back), WR-Phillip Dorsett (ankle), OG-Hugh Thornton (elbow)
-Dorsett could return to the field on Sunday for the first time since the Saints game (10/25). Thornton missed last week's game against Pittsburgh.
