Andrew Luck listed as questionable, Colts confident he'll be able to start

We’ve seen Andrew Luck take dozens of huge hits, but we’ve always seen him get up. So we think of him as indestructible.

Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano apparently thinks that too. Despite Luck not practicing in full all week due to a shoulder injury, Pagano said he “absolutely” was confident Luck would play on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Colts. Luck is listed as questionable on the injury report, which generally means a player will go, but not necessarily.

Luck wasn’t present at the media portion of Friday’s practice, which raised some red flags. But Pagano said he was limited at practice. The team signed quarterback Josh Johnson, but Pagano said that was just to keep all bases covered. Still, all of it makes you wonder what Luck's status really is.

Matt Hasselbeck, who turned 40 on Sept. 25, would start if Luck can’t. That would be his first start since 2012. This is his third season with the Colts, and he has thrown 56 regular-season passes for Indianapolis.

The Colts are obviously hopeful Luck can go, because at 1-2 they can’t afford to fall into too deep a hole (although, one could argue no hole is too deep in the terrible AFC South). However, the Colts will also have to weigh the risk of starting their banged up franchise player behind a terrible offensive line. The entire Indianapolis offense would suffer without Luck, but how much? What’s the drop-off from Luck to his 40-year-old backup?

The Colts hope they don’t have to find out. Pagano remains publicly confident Luck will play. There is some real intrigue for 90 minutes before Sunday’s game, when the Colts deliver their inactives list.