The Indianapolis Colts lost in the preseason on Thursday, hardly an notable occurrence for a franchise that concerns itself with winning in the preseason not much at all.

What was notable was this:

The Colts may be better at backup quarterback than many believed a few days ago.

Curtis Painter, a sixth-round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft from Purdue University, spent the past week answering questions and being criticized for a three-interception performance in the preseason opener.

Those critics have a lot less to criticize at the end of the week.

Painter, who moved into the backup role when the Colts released long-time backup Jim Sorgi in the off-season, not only looked poised and comfortable in a 34-21 preseason loss to Buffalo Thursday, he completed 5 of 6 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.

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The turnaround was quick – real quick – but with the Indianapolis Colts playing the Buffalo Bills at Rogers Centre in Toronto Thursday, here’s a quick look at five storylines . . .

1) Offensive efficiency. The Colts were striking in their offensive efficiency early in the preseason opener against San Francisco, particularly considering the injured state of the offensive line. And the reality of the preseason is it’s the first series or two – when the starters are in and the level of play is something in the same general area as regular season – that is the only real gauge of what a team may look like when the games count. With center Jeff Saturday, left tackle Charlie Johnson and tight end Dallas Clark out – as well as wide receiver Pierre Garcon – the Colts put together an efficient, sharp 89-yard touchdown drive to take a 10-0 lead against San Francisco. Wide receiver Austin Collie looked good on the drive, as did fellow receivers Anthony Gonzalez and Reggie Wayne. Quarterback Peyton Manning looked like a 10-time Pro Bowl selection and a four-time Most Valuable Player, and while the Colts’ offense has looked good early in preseason in recent seasons, there was little that could be taken negative from the first two series. Manning said this week the starters may play a bit longer this week, and a series or two of anything close to the look of the second series against San Francisco will be success for the offense.

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ANDERSON, Ind. — Each week on Examiner.com, Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser offers seven thoughts on all things surrounding the Indianapolis Colts. Without further delay, the latest Magnificent Seven of the 2010 season, this one looking at seven issues as the Colts wrap up training camp . . .

7) Good signs. Somewhat lost in the 37-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in the preseason opener was that the Colts in the big picture did precisely what they wanted in that game. The first-team offense looked surprisingly efficient – not that you don’t expect efficiency from quarterback Peyton Manning, but without tight end Dallas Clark, center Jeff Saturday, wide receiver Pierre Garcon and left tackle Charlie Johnson, no one would have been surprised with a couple of quick series and a punt. Instead, the Colts had a short series for a field goal then an 89-yard drive on which Manning looked if not in mid-season form then in pretty good rhythm for a preseason opener. This is a theme we’ll keep harping on until something happens to make us think differently at Indy Football Report, but this offense – with Manning at the height of his powers and still very much able physically and with perhaps the best collection of skill players of his career – has a very real chance to be the best of Manning’s career.

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ANDERSON, Ind. – These are good times, indeed, for the Indianapolis Colts. Apparently, that is even more true for their fans.

We know this last part not because of eight consecutive playoff appearances, or six AFC South titles in seven years. Not because they have flirted with unbeaten seasons two of the past five seasons, and not because they have played in Super Bowls in two of the last four.

We know this because in recent days it has become clear the over-riding, pressing, sky-is-falling-issue is the quarterback position, and not the starting quarterback position.

The backup quarterback position.

Curtis Painter, a sixth-round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft from Purdue University, had the good fortune to ascend to the backup quarterback position of one of the NFL’s elite franchises this past off-season, and the misfortune to do so in era of quick, rush-to-judgment assessment.

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Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser takes a next-day look at the Indianapolis Colts’ 37-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the preseason opener at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis Sunday . . .

THE QUICK LEAD

When is a loss not a loss, or at least not particularly important?

One yearly answer in the NFL is when it involves the Indianapolis Colts in a preseason game, a truism that proved true again Sunday afternoon in a 37-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2010 preseason opener at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis.

The game, in fact, followed a familiar preseason pattern for Indianapolis:

The Colts were efficient early. They took the lead.

Then, when the starters were out, the Colts lost the lead and the game.

“At the onset, obviously we played pretty well,” Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell said after the 49ers out-gained the Colts, 335-225 for the game, a yardage advantage that was 288-130 after the first quarter.

“Obviously, things started going the other way and we didn’t play nearly as well.”

Peyton Manning, the Colts’ quarterback who before the game received the Associated Press National Football League Most Valuable Player trophy he won for the fourth time last season, started and played the first two series, leaving with 6:23 remaining in the first quarter and the ahead, 10-0.

“There were some things we could do better, but it was a good way to start,” Manning said.

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ANDERSON, Ind. — Each week on Examiner.com, Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser offers seven thoughts on all things surrounding the Indianapolis Colts. Without further delay, the first Magnificent Seven of the 2010 season, this one looking at seven issues after two weeks of training camp . . .

7) A serious issue. A pre-season knee injury is a long way from disaster, particularly if Colts C Jeff Saturday can return early in the season. But let’s spend a few sentences on what’s obvious: the absence of Saturday for any extended period is a serious situation for the Colts, particularly this season. And it’s not that Saturday is necessarily irreplaceable as a run- or pass-blocker. At 35, it’s possible that there are others on the Colts’ roster who could physically play as well as the 12-year veteran. But Saturday’s ability to make line calls at the line of scrimmage is critical to the Colts’ offense. He has worked so long with QB Peyton Manning that the two are rarely out of sync, and with Manning often changing plays at the line – and often doing so as the play clock nears :00 – Saturday’s ability to make his calls and necessary corresponding changes is key. That long has been the case, as evidenced by the Colts’ struggles offensively the last time he missed games, in 2008. Manning’s knee was an issue that season, but Saturday’s absence was, too. This year, Saturday’s presence may be equally important. The Colts will have at least one personnel change on the interior of the offensive line because of Ryan Lilja’s off-season release. You don’t want to compound potential confusion by having Saturday absent for an extended period.

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ANDERSON, Ind. — Jim Caldwell believes in Clyde Christensen.

Caldwell, now in his second season as the Indianapolis Colts’ head coach, said he knows from personal experience it is possible for a coach to be unfairly evaluated based on past results, and he said this week that’s what some do with Christensen, now in his first season as the Colts’ offensive coordinator.

Christenson, who spent eight seasons as the Colts’ wide receivers coach, has one previous season of experience as a coordinator.

That was in 2001, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

That was also the last season for Tony Dungy as the Buccaners’ head coach. The Buccaneers finished 26th in the NFL in total offense that season. Dungy and his staff – a staff that included not only Christensen, but a quarterbacks coach named Jim Caldwell – were dismissed after the season following a first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia

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ANDERSON, Ind. — The Indianapolis Colts could be without their four-time Pro Bowl center in the regular-season opener.

Jeff Saturday, the Colts’ starting center, may miss two-to-six weeks rehabilitating after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday, Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star is reporting Colts Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jim Irsay as saying.

Saturday had surgery to remove “a loose body,” the team announced Tuesday.

“With scopes you never know,” Irsay told reporters following a 2010 Training Camp practice at Anderson University Wednesday morning.

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Indianapolis Colts Center Jeff Saturday has been one of the team’s most durable, reliable players throughout much of his career.

On Tuesday, he underwent knee surgery.

Saturday, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, “underwent successful arthroscopic knee surgery at Methodist Sports Medicine to remove a loose body,” the team announced Tuesday. The Colts said Saturday will begin rehabilitation immediately upon returning to training camp.

Saturday, entering his 12th NFL season, has started for the Colts since 2000, and has missed games just twice in that span — 2004 (two games) and 2008 (four games). ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported via Twitter Wednesday that Saturday is expected to miss at least a preseason game or two.

With Saturday out, and with rookie offensive lineman Jacques McClendon – working at center as a backup – also not practicing early in the week, it’s not clear who will play center Sunday when the Colts play host to San Francisco in the preseason opener.

Jamey Richard, a third-year veteran, started four games for Saturday as a rookie in 2008. Guard Mike Pollak played center throughout much of his college career.

Also on Tuesday, the Colts placed reserve defensive lineman John Gill on the reserve non-football illness list, Pro Football Talk is reporting.

ANDERSON, Ind. – When it comes to Reggie Wayne, Peyton Manning likes what he sees.

Then again, Manning – the Colts’ 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback and four-time Associated Press Most Valuable Player – said he didn’t expect to see anything not to like about Wayne, the Colts’ four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.

Wayne missed mini-camp and organized team activities because he was unhappy with his contract situation, but reported on time for training camp.

Manning said he has seen no difference in Wayne than past seasons.

“Reggie has come in with a great attitude and is in excellent shape and looks really fit,” Manning said Tuesday between a pair of 2010 Training Camp practices at Anderson University. “He has always trained extremely hard. All those Miami Hurricanes through the years have always trained hard.”

Wayne, the Colts’ No. 1 receiver last season following the release of eight-time Pro Bowl selection Marvin Harrison – and realistically, the team’s No. 1 receiver a year or two before that – remains very much in that role, Manning said.

“He’s the leader of our wide receiver group,” Manning said. “He is the guy that sets the tone for Pierre (Garcon) and Austin (Collie) and (Anthony) Gonzalez. He is a great leader at that position and he is going to have an outstanding year for us this year. 

“There is no doubt about that in my mind.”

Manning on Tuesday also addressed:

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