Saturday Out At Least Six Weeks

Aug 27 2008, 09:21 PM

Colts C Jeff Saturday is going to miss at least six weeks and maybe more after tearing his MCL. If Saturday opts against surgery, “I don’t think he’ll be able to get back on the field for at least six or seven weeks,” agent Ralph Cindrich said. “He’s down for a while.” If Saturday has surgery, his recovery might last 11 weeks, Cindrich said. “But from all reports,” he added, “he could be back before the end of the season.”

This is actually a much bigger blow then most people will realize. Saturday is the leader of the Colts offensive line and makes all of the blocking assignment calls at the line of scrimmage. This is particularly complex as QB Peyton Manning switches the plays early and often. With Saturday out, one of the three drafted rookies will likely be asked to take Saturday's place. This could cause the Colts to start off slowly on offense. It is also not a good thing to have a new centerpiece to your O-line when your franchise QB is coming off of a knee injury as Manning is. Watch the line closely this week and early in the season to see how bad the damage is.

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