FLOWERY BRANCH — When the surgeon took the scalpel to Peyton Manning’s neck Sept. 8 for his third procedure in the past 19 months, the Indianapolis Colts’ Super Bowl hopes basically were dashed.
After being perennial AFC contenders since 1999, the Colts have discovered what it’s like not to have an elite signal-caller in the quarterback-driven NFL. That reality has not been pleasant as they search for their first victory halfway into the season.
“We’ve had to adapt and adjust,” Indianapolis coach Jim Caldwell said. “We are still going through that process of trying to just make certain that we do the things that we know how to do.”
The Colts coaxed Kerry Collins out of retirement with a $4 million deal, but then turned to Manning’s inexperienced backup Curtis Painter.
“It’s been a little bit of a challenge,” Caldwell said.
Manning is out indefinitely. The team has him on the active roster with the hopes that he can practice at some point next month.
“There’s really not a schedule, and there’s really not a real timeline,” Manning told the Indianapolis media Thursday. “It’s sort of how I am at different checkpoints. I would say the first of December is probably the next checkpoint.”
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who suffered a turf-toe injury during the 2009 season, has some compassion for Manning’s situation.
“I know him personally, and it’s not something that you like to see for anybody,” Ryan said. “I know he’s probably as anxious as anybody to get out there, but health is important. I know he’s handling it the right way.”
Manning’s absence has been tough on some of the veterans, such as Indianapolis center Jeff Saturday, an Atlanta native who played at old Shamrock High.
“We were in uncharted territory when we started the season,” Saturday said. “I would have never expected to be in the place that we are now.”
The Colts, who heavily scouted former TCU quarterback Andy Dalton before the draft, are not the only team struggling because of the lack of quality play at quarterback. All of the last-place teams in the AFC have quarterback issues.
The great Tim Tebow experiment rages onward Sunday as Denver, which is in last place in the AFC West, plays at Oakland.
Miami, which passed on Ryan in the 2008 draft, still searches for the next Dan Marino. They are in last place in the AFC East.
Cleveland, which is in last place in the AFC North at 3-4, has second-year man Colt McCoy, who’s still finding his way.
In the NFC West, Arizona and St. Louis are tied for last place. Arizona sent a king’s ransom to Philadelphia for Kevin Kolb, who has been erratic early and is injured. St. Louis has second-year quarterback Sam Bradford.
Minnesota, in last place in the NFC North, has turned the page on their brief Donovan McNabb era and started rookie Christian Ponder the past two games.
In the NFC South, rookie Cam Newton is throwing for a bushel of yards, but the Panthers are 2-6 and in last place.
In the NFC East, Washington, Philadelphia and Dallas are tied for last place at 3-4. Washington appears to be the weaker team because its quarterbacks are John Beck and Rex Grossman.
“It’s always been quite evident in this league that you have to be able to function well at that position,” Caldwell said. “It’s not just a one-man show, but that part of it is extremely important.”
The Colts are stressing patience with Painter, a sixth-round pick out of Purdue in 2009.
“He’s making some progress,” Caldwell said. “We have to make certain that we are really, really good in the other areas in terms of our defense and also our special teams. We have to make sure that all of those things work together, and we just can’t put the entire load on his shoulders.”
Painter didn’t play a down in 2010 and entered the season with a 9.8 passer rating because he completed only eight of 28 pass attempts as a rookie.
“At this point, we are kind of in the groove with Curtis,” Saturday said. “We are trying to build our offense around what we do well right now. I think Curt has played well for us these past few games.”
The Falcons went into a state of flux at quarterback when Michael Vick went to prison on dogfighting-related charges in 2007. Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich and Chris Redman all started games that season before the new regime selected Ryan.
When Ryan was injured during the 2009 season, Chris Redman stepped in and played well enough to secure a two-year contract.
Ryan knows that he and his quarterback peers will be measured by the standards Manning has set since entering the league in 1998.
“First of all, I’ve got a long way to go to catch up to him,” Ryan said. “He’s really probably the top at what he does in this sport.”
For the Colts and other teams that may be in the quarterback market, there is a promising group in the college ranks.
While Stanford junior Andrew Luck widely is considered the top quarterback prospect and consensus No. 1 overall pick if he leaves college, Oklahoma’s Landry Jones, USC’s Matt Barkley, Baylor’s Robert Griffin and Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins also could be available in the 2012 draft.
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