Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was not practicing on Wednesday as he continues to navigate a back injury.
For what it’s worth, Pittman hasn’t practiced the last few Wednesdays but has returned on Thursday and Friday and then been available on Sunday.
A few weeks ago, it was reported that injured reserve was a possibility for Pittman because of the aforementioned back injury. However, he decided to fight through the pain to stay on the field.
“At this point, everybody’s fighting through some type of thing, so it’s not like I’m doing anything that’s special, but we’re just taking it week to week and then just seeing where it goes,” said Pittman on Wednesday.
But for Pittman, as well as the rest of the Colts’ offense, it has been tough sledding over these last two games. During that span, while he’s been targeted 10 times, he has only two receptions for 30 yards.
“I’m not going to make excuses for it,” Pittman said of the back injury. “I mean like, if I’m out there, I’m out there.”
Pittman also went from playing 95 percent of the Colts’ offensive snaps against Houston to only 76 percent against Minnesota. Was that a product of his back injury?
“No, not necessarily,” Steichen said on Wednesday. “Obviously, he’s dealing with some stuff, but obviously we are trying to get him the ball as well…He knows his body more than anyone. He’s battling through it. He’s showing the toughness, wants to be out there with his teammates. So we are just taking it week-by week.”
When it comes to getting ready for Sunday’s and making sure that he’s available, Pittman said that each week consists of a lot of rehab, but the overall gameplan on a weekly basis changes depending on how he’s feeling and what’s needed on that specific day.
This week, the Colts face a Bills’ defense that ranks 26th in yards per carry allowed, but is eighth in yards per pass attempt.
“Obviously, I’d like to be more productive out there, but I’m just going and however the flow of the game goes, I mean credit to them (Minnesota) they played a good scheme.”
