Peyton Manning Injury: Why David Garrard Is Perfect Band Aid for Colts

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay caused a stir on Twitter regarding Peyton Manning on Monday morning as a result of an announcement he made earlier that morning.

The charismatic Irsay, appearing at a breakfast meeting with Super Bowl donors, revealed to the crowd that Manning will be sidelined for the season and won't play until 2012.

The franchise quarterback has not been placed on injured reserve, but the odds of his return this season seem rather low given the news currently available.

Just shortly after Indianapolis suffered a deflating 23-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers to drop down to 0-3 to begin the season, this most recent Manning bombshell really sucks the wind out of the sails of an already downtrodden team.

After fans suffered through watching a putrid combination of Kerry Collins and Curtis Painter combine for a wretched 18-of-40 for 153 yards and zero touchdowns, it's clear that the team isn't going anywhere with the current talent at the position on the roster.

When news originally came out that Manning underwent his third neck surgery in a 19-month span, the team remained hopeful that the franchise quarterback could contribute this season.

Now, that outlook is one characterized by extreme optimism and could really take a serious hit in the very near future.

It's time to stop holding out hope for a Manning return and address the issue at hand—Indianapolis is 0-3 and in dire need of a change at quarterback.

Rather than rolling with the insufferable tandem of Collins and Painter, it's time for the team to pick up the phone and call David Garrard.

No, Garrard isn't a superstar, and no, he doesn't put up the most impressive statistics, but what he can do is come in and manage the offense in a respectable manner.

The Colts have done a solid job of stuffing the run on the defensive side of the ball thus far in the early part of the season, and they've even made a renewed effort to revive the run game with limited success.

However, both of those efforts have been effectively mitigated by the opposition.

The reason? They know what we all know: The Colts don't have a quarterback that can step up to the plate and deliver.

In 10 games last season with the Tennessee Titans, Kerry Collins passed for 1,823 yards with 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

By comparison, David Garrard played 14 games under center for the Jacksonville Jaguars and registered 2,734 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Collins decided to retire at the conclusion of the campaign, but Garrard was cut just days before the 2011-12 NFL season opened and is sitting at home without a job.

How can anyone in the Indianapolis organization possibly justify Collins' selection as the right one?

It's become crystal clear that the team can't play another down with him under center.

This is a quarterback-driven league, and right now, the Colts don't have anyone controlling the steering wheel.