The Facts: Luck said he has an idea of what he needs to see and feel and do in the Colts’ four preseason games—taking a hit is one of them—but didn’t want to look ahead too early, with a week of practice before then. HC Frank Reich said he’s expecting to play Luck with the starters for about a quarter in Seattle next Thursday.
Diehards Line:
“The plan is to play him a little bit more than he would normally would if he’d had a normal year last year,” Reich explained. “But I don’t want to overreact. He’ll get enough snaps in, we’ll recreate enough out here in practice by the way we practice and the speed at which we practice, and all the situational stuff we practice. We’ll build a confidence lever there. And sure, he needs to get his snaps, and maybe a little bit more. But I’m not gonna be dramatic with it. ...” Again, this all blends in with what Luck has done for the last six months -- Indy is simulating game weeks for him with his practice schedule -- giving him a clear runway to the season as he works his way back from the shoulder injury that's sidelined him for more than a year.