Peyton Manning letting Jesus take the wheel

"Golly, I could really go for some Carrie Underwood right now..."

Peyton Manning has yet to play a game this season for the Indianapolis Colts, and nobody has noticed more than the Colts themselves. Indianapolis finished the first quarter of the season at 0-4, they have lost a number of other players to IR, and Kerry Collins, who was brought in to fill in for Peyton, is recovering from a concussion. All looks bleak for the Indianapolis Colts. However, despite team owner Jim Irsay saying that Peyton is done for the year, Manning has still not been placed on IR, leaving the window open to him coming back this season. Peyton believes he still has a chance to be back with the team this year, and he’s getting downright spiritual about it.

From ESPN.com:

“I think you have to have hope until the doctors rule you out,” he said. “We’re having a lot of injuries so if they (the Colts) come to me and say they need to make a move, I won’t fight them on that.

“The good Lord is calling my plays and I’m not allowed to audible at this point, so I have to listen to the doctors,” he added.

If that isn’t a country music lyric, then I don’t understand music anymore. The plan for now is to take x-rays of his injured neck every four weeks to monitor his progress and gradually increase the number and intensity of his physical activities. He has been allowed to observe practice, mentor the quarterbacks trying to fill in for him, and take brisk walks around the facility. Not exactly the NFL combine, but positive steps all the same. The earliest prognosis for Peyton’s return is December, but a few more losses for the Colts will make any game they play that late in the season meaningless, which would shut down Peyton’s return until next season.

Also, if Peyton Manning doesn’t try his hand at country music after he’s done playing football, Kenny Chesney will wear sleeves for a year.

Foreshadowing...