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BRAD GALBREATH

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

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For the first time since 1998, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning might not be under center come week one. Back in May, Manning had surgery to remove a bulging disk in his neck - and many thought it wasn’t a big deal...

This was USA Today’s headline on May 24th.

“No big concerns about Peyton Manning's neck surgery.”

But now - it is a big concern. NFL lockout rules did not allow Manning to rehab with Colts’ medical staff, and his status for the season opener is in doubt. Here’s one of Colts owner Jim Irsay’s tweets.

“We r evaluating the QB sitch,#18 healing but we got 2 b prepared 4 early season possibility without him,defense has 2 pick it up,big time!”

Without Manning some analysts say the Colts are only a 3 or 4 win team.  And with Peyton missing training camp and the preseason Bob Holtzman tells ESPN the Colts will probably be average.

“The one time Manning missed all of training camp and all of the preseason in 2008, the Colts began the regular season 3-4, and Manning admitted after the fact that he didn’t feel like himself until late October.”

John Michael Vincent, from 1070 the Fan in Indianapolis describes what the fans are feeling in Indy….

“Maybe Peyton Manning will not be ready for Week 1 in Houston, and freakout is probably a pretty good description between the phones and the fanbase right now.” (ESPN)

Manning currently holds the longest starts streak among active QB’s at 208 regular season games.  If he were to miss week 1, little brother Eli would then hold the longest streak. But Manning still hopes to take the field Week 1.  Here’s Manning - on the NFL Network.

“I’m doing everything I can, its hard to keep track of the hours that I’ve spent rehabbing. Like I said at the beginning of camp, I think I was short-changed a little bit due to the lockout, so I  really am working up hill a little bit and I’m a little bit behind schedule. I’m going to need every minute of these next two weeks.”

Amid all the chaos, the Colts signed veteran quarterback Kerry Collins, who had retired earlier in the year. ESPN says the veteran came back after quote “getting the green light from his wife”

There’s a good chance speculation may last right up until the Colts take the field on September 11th in Houston.

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Transcript by Newsy.