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The Indianapolis Colts are entering 2019 with Super Bowl dreams, but those dreams will disintegrate if Andrew Luck doesn't get healthy soon.
Luck is dealing with a calf injury and will miss the Colts' preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, casting a dark cloud over training camp in Indianapolis.
Remember: two years ago, Luck was expected to be ready for the beginning of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but he had multiple setbacks and ended up missing all of 2017.
The good news is it's not Luck's arm this time around, but all of the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback has to leave a queasy feeling in the stomach of Colts fans.
Regardless, here are three things watch in Indy's first preseason game, Luck-less or not:
3. Is Marlon Mack Ready to take the next step?
Marlon Mack flew under the radar for much of 2018, but he finally garnered some national attention in the playoffs, and now, going into 2019, he is considered a breakout candidate at running back.
In order for the Colts to truly contend for a Super Bowl, Mack will have to be even better this year, as his improvement would add yet another level to an ever-improving Indianapolis offense.
That doesn't just mean racking up yards on the ground, but it also means becoming more of a threat out of the backfield, as Mack caught just 17 passes this past season.
Obviously, one preseason game isn't a great indicator of anything, but it will certainly be interesting to see how Mack looks on Thursday and if he's added any wrinkles to his game.
2. Do the Colts finally have a reliable duo of wide receivers?
Throughout the bulk of Luck's first seven years with the Colts, it has been the T.Y. Hilton show. The two players came up together as rookies in 2012 and have been a dynamic tandem ever since, but Luck has struggled to find a reliable second receiver.
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Well, how about Devin Funchess?
Indianapolis signed Funchess this offseason, and the wide out is expected to provide Luck with a big target in the red zone and in short-yardage situations.
We know the Colts have a couple of really good tight ends in Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron, but they could really stand to use another wide receiver, and Funchess could be that guy.
Of course, we won't actually get to see Luck throw to Funchess on Thursday evening, but we can at least get a general idea of how lethal a Hilton-Funchess duo could be.
1. Is the pass rush better?
There are two things that can stop the Colts from being a Super Bowl contender this season. The first thing is an injury to Luck (which has already happened). The second thing is the pass rush.
Indianapolis totaled just 38 sacks this past year, which ranked in the bottom half of the NFL. While that's not a terrible number, it's a far cry from the elite defenses of the league, and that could be a problem this year.
Now, the Colts tried to remedy that issue this offseason, landing former Kansas City Chiefs pass rusher Justin Houston. Houston could completely change Indy's defense, but the catch is that he has had a whole lot of difficulty staying healthy in recent years.
When he is on the field, there is no doubt Houston is disruptive, so if he can just remain healthy, he should help elevate the Colts' pass rush, and we might get a taste of that on Thursday.
