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Peyton Manning gets clearance to return to the sideline

Peyton Manning

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning looks on as the Indianapolis Colts prepare for an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Indianapolis, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011. Colts owner Jim Irsay says there is an “outside chance” Manning might return in December. Irsay used Twitter on Monday, Sept. 26, 2011, to update Colts fans on Manning’s status after remarks he made during a private breakfast with Super Bowl donors. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

AP

Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has attended his team’s last two games, but he has been confined to the coaching box, far above the playing field.

This week, when the Colts host the Chiefs, Peyton will be moving to the sideline.

“Obviously, that’s a good sign that he’s getting better,” coach Jim Caldwell said Thursday, in comments distributed by the team. “I know he’s working extremely hard in his rehab and doing everything that the doctors are requiring him to do. He’s going after it enthusiastically.”

The question is whether there’s a point at which Peyton becomes too enthusiastic and suffers a setback. We continue to think it makes more sense to shut Peyton down for 2011, giving him the full season and offseason to prepare for his return.

Then again, with the Colts potentially winning the Andrew Luck Elimination Series, maybe Manning’s motivation is to get back in time to win enough games so that the Colts won’t be able to draft his replacement.