Colts' Pagano: Andrew Luck 'trending in the right direction'

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck missed the first game of his NFL career Sunday, and while his team was able to sneak out a win in his absence, it's clear they need him back as soon as possible.

Head coach Chuck Pagano sounded optimistic Sunday when discussing the progress Luck has made in his recovery from a shoulder injury, but gave no indication of whether he'd be ready for Thursday's game against the Houston Texans.

"He made progress all week," Pagano said, via Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star. "He made progress. So we're going to continue ... he's getting treatment right now. He'll work out tomorrow and we'll just take it day-by-day and see where he's at."

Luck didn't show the kind of progress the Colts were hoping he would, though, and Matt Hasselback ultimately got the start. He completed 30-of-47 passes for 282 yards and one touchdown in Luck's absence, en route to a 16-13 overtime victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"He was trending in the right direction throughout the course of the week," Pagano said of Luck. "Maybe he could come in this morning, we were going to evaluate him, see how he felt and (he) just wasn't ready."