Peyton Manning: Indianapolis Colts QB Is Selfish If He Plays in 2011

The worst thing injured Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning can do for his team is rush himself back in 2011.

Simply put, he is far too valuable a player to take chances with, and if this stretch without him doesn't prove Manning's true value to the franchise, then I don't know what will.

It's rather obvious that the Colts desperately need Manning under center to have any shot at success, at least with the way things are currently set up.

They have gone from one of the most dominant  franchises not only in the AFC, but in the the NFL, to bottom feeders.

At 0-4, they are firmly on the bottom of the AFC South, and they don't have much of a shot at making a comeback.

Without Manning, this team is incapable of playing good football. They've only averaged 15.8 points and 187 passing yards per game, which is a long fall from the Manning-led Colts.

They need to take care of Manning, but the Colts also need to see this for what it is: A wake-up call.

As much as the Colts would love him to be, Manning can't be the franchise quarterback forever. Eventually his skills will diminish, his body will wear down and he will retire.

It has already started happening, which has to be a scary realization.

That's why news that Manning is progressing well with his injury and may even return in 2011 is good new, right? Check out what the Associated Press via ESPN has to say about his status:

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And too early to know whether he has any shot at playing for Indy again this season.

Still, Manning was full of smiles Thursday as he said his recovery from his latest neck surgery is going well. He is clearly eager to be back down among his teammates on game day instead of up in the press box.

"I had two hot dogs up there in Tampa and Indianapolis," Manning cracked, referring to the past two weeks. "But the press box gave me a bad vibe."

Perhaps that's because Manning had grown weary of the Colts' four-game losing streak to open the season and the second-guessing that has come with it. Many have wondered how healthy Manning will be when he returns or whether he'll ever resemble the four-time league MVP again.

There are indications he just might.

Manning has taken on a larger role with his team since the surgery Sept. 8, the third time in 19 months he went under the knife for a neck injury. He has been involved in team meetings, strolling briskly around the practice fields and even advising coaches and players, including the two guys trying to replace him as best they can.

Until this week, doctors had barred him from going anywhere near the sideline during games.

Manning said the decision to ease that restriction demonstrates the recovery is going well, well enough to keep him optimistic that he could even make it back, at least to practice, later this season.

"I think you have to have hope until the doctors rule you out," he said. "We're having a lot of injuries so if they (the Colts) come to me and say they have to make a move, I won't fight them on that.

"The good Lord is calling my plays and I'm not allowed to audible at this point, so I have to listen to the doctors," he added.

Bill Polian, the vice chairman, and Chris Polian, the general manager, want to keep Manning on the active roster as long as possible so he can at least return to practice this season. Team owner Jim Irsay believes Manning could be back to practice in December.

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This may seem like great news for Colts fans, but that couldn't be any further from the truth.

Let's say that Manning is able to make it back sometime by December.

There is absolutely no way that he would be able to turn things around for the Colts and make the playoffs. He would just be playing in and potentially winning meaningless games.

He would essentially play to get back in game shape and get used to the game speed, which undoubtedly will be great for him.

It will be bad for his team in the long run, though.

Like it or not, the Colts need to start preparing for the future, and that future doesn't have Manning under center.

Fate has handed them arguably the best excuse ever to "tank" a season and rebuild, so they need to take advantage of the free pass.

Waiting at the end of the long rebuilding road is Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who would be a perfect successor to Manning's throne, or a handful of other franchise players on both sides of the ball.

Sure, it would be a cute story for Manning to come back, get some work in, and maybe snag a few wins for the Colts, but in the end it would just be selfish of him.

The Colts need to set their sights on a higher goal, and unfortunately for their 2011 season and for Manning, it shouldn't involve him.