As expected, the Colts will be without quarterback Andrew Luck when they face the Steelers on Thanksgiving in a battle of 5-5 AFC playoff contenders. Luck suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of the Colts’ 24-17 win over the Titans last Sunday and hasn’t practiced since.
With Luck on the shelf, the Colts will turn to backup Scott Tolzien as their starter and promote Stephen Morris from the practice squad to serve as their No. 2 signal-caller. The 29-year-old Tolzien has two NFL starts under his belt – both with the Packers in 2013 – and has completed 56 of 91 passes (61.5 percent) for 721 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions in his pro career.
Luck, who missed nine games last year with various injuries and posted underwhelming numbers, had bounced back this season prior to his latest ailment. The fifth-year man has hit on 62.9 percent of his attempts (up from 55.3 in 2015), thrown for 2,827 yards and added 19 scores against eight picks. With a Thursday game this week and a Monday night matchup against the Jets in Week 13, Luck will have extra time to work his way back for the Colts’ next contest. In the meantime, the Colts won’t have the face of their franchise against a Steelers team that crushed them, 45-10, a year ago.