Indianapolis Colts Tickets - Colts Need Better Backup Quarterback

Peyton Manning might be a six-five, 230-pound quarterback with a laser rocket arm

, but at the end of the day he's not invincible (though Colts fans tend to believe he is). Manning's reign with the Indianapolis Colts is secure as long as he's healthy, but it's the worst-case scenario that has Horse fans a little uneasy right now - and rightfully so.

In the very unlikely case that something should happen to Manning this season, snaps will go to his understudy, second-year backup Curtis Painter. Painter is a native Hoosier and former standout at Purdue, but he's quickly turning into the Colts' worst nightmare.

Last season, Painter got a taste at the big leagues when he went in for Manning during those controversial final regular season games when the Colts' starters were benched, but his dismal playtime on the field yielded no touchdowns, two interceptions and just 83 yards with a 9.8 quarterback rating. Still, the Colts gave Painter the benefit of the doubt, and in his defense the Colts' second-string offensive line just wasn't doing enough on the field to protect him, and his counterparts dropping balls left and right didn't contribute much on the plus side, either.

That said, Painter just isn't working with the Colts' offense. He was given another chance to make up for some cringe-inducing plays from last season during the Colts' preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 15, and the operation could be considered nothing but a giant disaster. In eight drives, Painter earned a quarterback rating of 16.0 thanks to three interceptions and a fumbled fourth-down handoff. He accumulated only six first downs and 78 yards during his time on the field, leaving Colts fans to mourn the dreadful preseason and its Manning-less formation.

Make no mistake; playing Peyton Manning's backup has to be a tough gig. Manning is the undisputed number one seller of Indianapolis Colts tickets year after year, and he is a consistent player on the field with minimal injuries. The Colts have taken a gamble by letting veteran backup Jim Sorgi go this offseason to the New York Giants, instead opting to save money by sticking with the inexperienced Painter as the backup, but is it worth it to do so?

Perhaps the only people in Indianapolis still on Painter's side are head coach Jim Caldwell and team president Bill Polian, who have expressed their unrelenting support for Curtis Painter even despite his problematic tendencies so far.

Speaking with the Indianapolis Star after the Colts-Niners preseason game, Caldwell said, "You're going to see with Curtis, a few more reps and opportunities, he's going to get a lot better. He's got the size, the physical tools in terms of arm strength, the whole package, and he's learning. There's no question that everyone should be optimistic about his future."

For now, Curtis Painter will still be the Indianapolis Colts' No. 2 guy at the quarterback position, but he has the potential to be replaced with a veteran backup at any time. Caldwell and Polian might have expressed their support for Indy's backup, but don't expect Curtis Painter to get too comfortable with his role - at least not if Colts fans have anything to say about it.

by: Pat Smith

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