(Image via Getty: Sauce Gardner and DeForest Buckner) The playoff picture for late Jim Irsay’s team, the Indianapolis Colts, looks bleak right now. They need to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17 and the Houston Texans in Week 18. That’s not all. Another condition affects their chances: the Texans must lose to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17. They must also lose against the Colts in Week 18.With pressure mounting, an injured player who was given three weeks to recover from a calf strain, which fortunately did not become a season-ending Achilles tear, could make his much-terribly-much-needed comeback. This would further bolster the Philip Rivers-led Colts. Star cornerback Sauce Gardner is reportedly scheduled to return from a left calf injury for Sunday’s showdown against the Jaguars. In the Friday’s injury report, he was listed as questionable.
Sauce Gardner may return while DeForest Buckner is out for the final two games
The 25-year-old cornerback had been sidelined since Week 13, leaving the Colts vs. Texans game midway through after just two snaps. At the postgame press conference, Gardner described the injury, saying, “It felt like I got shot in the calf.”Further testing revealed it was only a calf injury, not a more serious Achilles injury. He needed “some time” to recover.James Boyd of The Athletic recently reported that Gardner was practicing for the first time in weeks. According to the latest injury report, he did not practice on Wednesday, was a limited participant on Thursday, and practiced full on Friday. He was listed questionable for Sunday’s matchup against the Jaguars.Now that he’s recovered, Colts coach Shane Steichen spoke highly about Sauce’s return on Friday: “To get him back out there with his passion and what he brings to our football team on the backend will be huge.” Gardner was traded to the Indianapolis Colts from the New York Jets in November and had played only two games for the Colts.At this crucial moment, the Colts need to strengthen their secondary, especially with star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner’s season-ending neck surgery. Buckner is headed to injured reserve for the second time due to aggravated neck injury.“Obviously an unfortunate situation,” Steichen said. “He embodies everything you want in a pro. He’s as good as it gets, as tough as it gets. [He] wants to be out there for his team, obviously, hopeful…the procedure will be good and [he’ll] get on the field for next year.”Buckner will reportedly flly to Panama for stem cell injections in his neck to help him recover from the herniated disk and nerve issue that made him feel like he “kind of lost all strength on my left side.”Four others were ruled out for Sunday’s home matchup against Jacksonville: starting center Tanor Bortolini [concussion], backup tight end Drew Ogletree [neck], rotational defensive end JT Tuimoloau [oblique], and returner Anthony Gould [foot].Also Read: Philip Rivers car collection: Inside the newest Colts QB’s lavish $200K customized Cadillac and Ford models