Will injuries lead to a slow start for the Colts?

Injuries have sapped the ability for several Colts to get valuable work in this preseason. Will it lead to another slow start to the season?

The Colts have decided to play it conservative in tomorrow’s third preseason game. They have elected to sit most of their starters, including Jacoby Brissett. This is a play to try to keep the team healthy as the regular season inches closer.

But doing this could have an effect on the upcoming season. Some Colts who were injured early on in training camp haven’t played at all in the preseason. That includes Andrew Luck and Parris Campbell, who are both big keys to the offense. No one has gotten to see what Campbell can do yet.

Sitting Brissett also leads to another question; if Luck isn’t able to play week 1, will Brissett be ready? He should get as much work as he possibly can so he will be ready to take on the Chargers if he has to. Sitting in what is usually the dress rehearsal game seems counterintuitive to that.

Keeping an offensive line that has looked poor on the sidelines doesn’t help much either. The starting unit has looked poor, and facing a good defense like Chicago could help prepare it more. But both teams have elected to sit most of their starters, so it won’t happen.

A conservative plan like this could end up biting the Colts in the butt. They could come out looking rusty and start the season slowly. That’s what happened last season en route to a 1-5 start. If they aren’t too careful, they’re looking at a similar start.