INDIANAPOLIS – The contact Donte Moncrief had longed for since Sept. 18 finally came this past Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Back from the fractured scapula that had sidelined him since Week Two, Moncrief returned on Sunday.
The expected adjustment period was there for Moncrief, but he did finish Sunday with four catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.
"It felt good to get back out there with my brothers," Moncrief said after playing 59 of the team's 66 offensive snaps.
Moncrief's highlight came late in the game when him and Andrew Luck hooked up for a 45-yard touchdown. However, a holding penalty erased his second score of the game.
On the afternoon, Moncrief hauled in four of his nine targets---a percentage him and Luck would like to improve on going forward.
Nonetheless, the quarterback was pleased to have his No. 2 receiver back.
"He does a great job," Luck said of the 6-2, 220-pound Moncrief. "He's an asset to this offense. He certainly did a nice job (Sunday)."
In leading up to his return on Sunday, Moncrief's biggest worry remained how would he handle that first hit.
The Colts kept Moncrief in a red (non-contact) jersey throughout practice last week, before letting him loose on Sunday.
"Once I got the first pop," Moncrief said, "it was back to football."
And the Colts are glad to have him back.
