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INDIANAPOLIS – Peyton Manning is healthy enough to start playing games.
Now the Colts must find out how well his left knee will hold up to the hits.
Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy reiterated Monday that Manning would probably start Sunday night’s season-opener against Chicago, perfect timing for a starting offense that failed to score a single touchdown in five preseason games.
“I’m sure he’d rather have gone through training camp and gotten his normal reps,” Dungy said. “But we’ve done it before with Bob Sanders, so I don’t worry about it with a veteran guy.”
Manning has eased his way back into a normal routine last week, more than a month after having surgery to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee.
He started practicing Aug. 26, increased the workload Wednesday, then went through his regular pregame routine before Thursday night’s preseason finale against Cincinnati. He sat out the game against the Bengals.
Because there have been no setbacks, Dungy now expects Manning to use this as a regular week before making his season-debut. It will allow Manning to keep the NFL’s second-longest streak for consecutive starts by a quarterback (160) intact. Only Brett Favre, who has taken his record streak of 253 from Green Bay to New York, has more.
Manning didn’t speak to reporters Monday but is expected to take questions Wednesday.
Manning’s injury isn’t the only concern for Indianapolis.
His longtime backup, Jim Sorgi, missed the last two preseason games with a gimpy knee and his replacements, Jared Lorenzen and Quinn Gray, struggled. Lorenzen and Gray were cut Saturday.
Indianapolis took one precaution Monday by adding a third quarterback to the roster, Josh Betts, who is starting his third straight season on the Colts’ practice squad.
“I’ve been working out during the week and going to the lake on weekends,” said Betts, who was released at the start of training camp. “I’ve been throwing three or four times a week, and I’m real happy I got the call Saturday.”
The bigger concern may be the battered offensive line.
Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday, who makes the offensive line calls in the no-huddle offense, could miss at least six weeks after injuring a ligament in his right knee. The Colts have not given a definitive timetable for Saturday’s return.
The likely replacement is Jamey Richard, a sixth-round pick in April. Dungy and the Colts aren’t worried.
“He’s going to step in and do a good job,” right tackle Ryan Diem said. “Obviously, Jeff is a special player and he’ll be hard to replace. So we’ve got to get him (Richard) up to speed.”
Also out will be left guard Ryan Lilja, who was placed on the physically unable to perform list Saturday, and Mike Pollak, the Colts’ second-round pick who was battling three-year veteran Charlie Johnson for the vacant right guard spot.
The replacements at guard are expected to be Johnson, a third-year player who filled in for the injured Diem during Indianapolis’ Super Bowl victory over the Bears, and Dan Federkeil. Johnson started 10 games last season for Indianapolis; Federkeil will be making his first career start.
Also on Monday, The Colts claimed linebacker Buster Davis and defensive tackle Daniel Muir off waivers. To make room on the 53-man roster, the Colts waived safety Jamie Silva, an undrafted rookie, and linebacker Ramon Guzman.
