Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck set for injury lay-off

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck will miss 2-6 weeks with a lacerated kidney and partial tear of an abdominal muscle, Colts coach Chuck Pagano announced Tuesday afternoon.

The injuries will not require surgery and a full recovery is expected. “We’ll just continue to listen to our doctors and evaluate Andrew week-by-week, on a week-to-week basis”.

“We have all the confidence in the world, and obviously we’re very fortunate to have Matt Hasselbeck as our backup quarterback”, said Pagano. When he arrived at the team complex Monday feeling worse, Luck was sent for additional tests that revealed the injuries.

A lacerated kidney is also the same injury that forced Keenan Allen onto IR so the severity of the injury is notable.

Veteran Matt Hasselbeck will start at quarterback during Luck’s absence. A release from the team says the injury happened as he was scrambling for a play early in the fourth quarter.

The Colts got their most significant win last weekend to move to 4-5 on the season.

Luck’s injury comes just as the Colts looked as if they were taking control of this division.

Hasselbeck was 48 of 76 with 495 yards, three touchdowns with no interceptions in his two starts this season.

The Colts are on a bye this weekend and that timetable would have Luck returning to action on December 13 when the Colts play the Jaguars in Jacksonville.

This time around, the Colts will not be able to monitor Luck day-to-day.

The Colts’ next major opponent will be the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have their own injury problems with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is now nursing a mid-foot sprain.

He missed the first two games of his four-year career after getting hurt on the road against the Tennessee Titans on September 27.