The Facts: On Wednesday, hand specialist Dr. Steven Shin of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles operated on Taylor, repairing the torn UCL in his thumb. Despite playing the second half of last week's win over the Bucs with the injury, surgery was the only answer and not a choice, sources tell NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Sources tell Rapoport Taylor's recovery time is three to five weeks. Indy left the door open for him to return before four weeks by not placing him on injured reserve, and Taylor was already back with the team the day after surgery.

Diehards Line: Here's why: The ligament tore off the base of the thumb and flipped on top of the tendon, sources say. Once that happens, the only way to avoid a loose tendon in the future is to have surgery to tuck the ligament back under the tendon so it can function. Immediate surgery was a necessity. Shin used an internal brace on the ligament, sources say, the same as he did to Drew Brees for a similar injury in 2019. Thanks to the internal brace, what would be a recovery taking many months will be shorter. But for at least the next three weeks, it's Zack Moss' time to shine.