COLTS

Pagano: Hasselbeck will sit when Luck's healthy

Stephen Holder
IndyStar
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) and Matt Hasselbeck (8) get loose during their pre game warm ups.  The Indianapolis Colts play the Denver Broncos Sunday, November 8, 2015, afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium.
  • Colts at Steelers, 8:25 p.m. Sunday, NBC

Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano had been at his lectern for some 16 minutes before the topic came up in his Monday news conference:

Is there any chance he and other team officials would pause before reinstating Andrew Luck as their starting quarterback once he returns from his current injury? Does Matt Hasselbeck's winning ways and hot hand give them something to think about?

Pagano made it clear there will be no hesitation to put the franchise quarterback in the lineup once he's clear to play.

"I'm not even going to go there," the Colts coach said. "That's ludicrous."

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When the question was posed once again, prefaced with a statement about the notion being discussed on local and national talk shows, Pagano added, "You have to stay off Twitter. Get your blinders and your earmuffs on. … Andrew is our starting quarterback. When he's 100 percent healthy, and our doctors and our trainers say he's ready to roll, then he's going to be under center."

Pagano clearly was miffed that the question was asked, but the topic has been widely discussed on the Internet and by some in sports media. But Pagano's reaction Monday should put to rest any question that the Colts would entertain anything other than immediately reinserting Luck into the starting lineup.

It seems to not matter than Hasselbeck is 4-0 as a starter this season, 2-0 since Luck went down with a lacerated kidney earlier this month. The fact that Luck has struggled for most of the six games also has played a role in the questions being raised.

But here's the upshot: Luck's last game, the Nov. 8 win  against the Denver Broncos, was his best game of the season. The Colts will be hoping he picks up where he left off when he returns.

Not if, but when.

Colts at Steelers, 8:25 p.m. Sunday, NBC

Andrew Luck knows he's to blame for injury

IN LUCK

Colts coach Chuck Pagano made it clear Andrew Luck will start as soon as he's healthy despite Matt Hasselbeck's play. Here's a look at them statistically: