Colts: Collins Or Painter?

This is a question like; "Would you rather be kicked in the nuts or punched in the face"?  Seems now the Colts have a quaterback controversy.  A little bit anyway, and it's hard to say whether the outcome will help the team win.

Kerry Coliins sustained a concussion in Sunday night's 23-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Collins is still being evaluated  after being forced from last night's game, and even if he is healthy the Colts will apparently consider making a switch at the position anyway.

Collins and backup Curtis Painter both looked bad Sunday night, as the Colts' offense essentially handed a win to Pittsburgh. Indianapolis is now 0-3, and as franchise quarterback Peyton Manning watched helplessly from the coaching booth, his team squandered a chance for a big win.

Neither Painter nor Collins looked like good options under center last night, as both guys struggled mightily to move the offense. Collins finished Sunday night's game completing 13-of-29 passes for 93 yards, while Painter finished 5-of-11 for 60 yards. Painter also took a sack and fumbled the ball away to Troy Polamalu, who scooped it up and scampered 16 yards for a touchdown with 5:13 remaining in the game.

Painter did lead the Colts on a touchdown drive that was capped off by a six-yard touchdown run from Joseph Addai with 2:09 to go, but despite a few big completions on that series, the Purdue product didn't look comfortable or confident in the pocket. Painter also missed a wide-open Pierre Garcon on his second drive for what clearly would have been a touchdown pass. Garcon juked his man on a stop-and-go route and had no one within 15 yards of him, but the quarterback's pass sailed long.

At this point the Colts really have nothing to lose and may as well make the switch to Painter. While they paid Collins $4 million to come in and at least keep the team treading water, that hasn't happened. Indianapolis has had plenty of opportunities through the first three weeks, and Collins hasn't been able to help the team take advantage.

While Painter isn't exactly an attractive option, the Colts might as well give the 26-year-old a shot, since he has been in the offense for three years and certainly has more upside than Collins.

The Colts travel to Tampa Bay to take on the 2-1 Buccaneers in Week 4, and a change at the quarterback spot might be just what they need to give themselves a shot in that game.