Matt Hasselbeck and Anthony Castonzo Back Practicing Thursday With Colts
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was back practicing with the Colts on Thursday, having suffered a rib injury in last Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars:
Both Andrew Luck and Matt Hasselbeck practicing today with #Colts quarterbacks.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) December 17, 2015
Looked like Matt Hasselbeck throwing, moving around without a problem today. Good sign. Expecting him to start vs. Texans.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) December 17, 2015
While Hasselbeck sat out Wednesday’s practice for rest purposes, he’s apparently back on the field Thursday which means he likely has a very strong chance of starting come Sunday. Otherwise, with Andrew Luck already declared out for Sunday, the Colts would’ve been forced to turn to 3rd-string veteran backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst.
Instead, the Colts will once again likely be able to start the reliable Hasselbeck. The 40 year old has no doubt struggled in his past 2 starts, but still remains a proven backup option over any available alternative.
Sep 13, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Indianapolis Colts tackle Anthony Castonzo (74) against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Colts 27 to 14. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
With the AFC South likely on the line Sunday, the Colts will need a strong performance from Hasselbeck or any other potential starter for that matter against the Houston Texans. In his prior start against the Texans this season, Hasselbeck was 18 for 29 passes (62.1%) for 213 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and most importantly, it was a Colts victory.
However, it’s unclear to what extent Hasselbeck practiced with the team on Thursday, so we’ll be sure to keep you updated on further developments. Nevertheless, it’s still an encouraging sign that he was back on the practice field with his teammates for his availability Sunday.
The Colts also received some other positive news as starting left tackle Anthony Castonzo was also back on the practice field, who has missed the past 3 games with a knee injury:
Another good sign. Anthony Castonzo practicing.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) December 17, 2015
That’s terrific news for the Colts offensive line, as the 5th-year veteran is the team’s best offensive lineman and allows the team to slide his fill-in Joe Reitz back to starting right tackle which makes them stronger overall as a unit.