Andrew Luck ruled out for Colts’ Week 1 game vs. Rams

Andrew Luck came off the physically unable to perform list just days ago, but the Indianapolis Colts have ruled him out for the regular season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Scott Tolzien will get the start as Luck continues to slowly recover from offseason surgery.

When will Luck return? “He’s in the training phase right now, he’s done excellent with his rehab, and we’ll continue to take it week-to-week,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said, via the Colts’ team site.

He said there was still no timetable for Luck, which is a familiar refrain for the team.

The Colts have been vague on Luck, with head coach Chuck Pagano saying on Aug. 22 that there was “no timeline” for his recovery.

There’s a legitimate possibility that Luck will miss more than one game, which leaves the team in a real lurch.

What’s Luck’s injury? Luck’s status has been up in the air ever since he underwent shoulder surgery after the 2016 season, repairing an injury that’s been bothering him since 2015. He missed the entire offseason program recovering from surgery and started training camp on the PUP list, missing an entire month of practice and the preseason, as well.

The Colts used Tolzien as the starting quarterback in Luck’s absence, and will keep using him for as long as Luck is out or until Jacoby Brissett has had time to learn the offseason. The Colts traded wide receiver Phillip Dorsett to the Patriots for Brissett on Saturday.

“It’s Tolzien’s job, because Brissett’s got to get up to speed,” Ballard said. “But I like — and we like — Jacoby Brissett, and we think he does have upside, and we think it’s going to give us some competition at the position.”

The Colts need Luck back ASAP: The Colts simply couldn’t move the ball with Tolzien running the offense, averaging 13.5 points per game in the preseason.

The last time Tolzien played in the regular season was last Thanksgiving, getting the fill-in start while Luck had a concussion. Tolzien was pretty brutal, throwing for just 205 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in a 28-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Colts will surely hope that Tolzien doesn’t have to start more than one game this year.

Even when Luck comes back, it’ll likely be touch-and-go as he knocks the rust off. The Colts have been leaning on Luck since selecting him No. 1 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. He’s lived up to his billing, but Indy hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2014 and the team struggled to build a strong supporting cast around him. If he misses multiple games, it could throw the Colts’ entire season into jeopardy. A healthy Luck could make the difference between returning to the playoffs or finishing under .500.