Andrew Luck is confident his body will allow him to make every NFL throw. Unfortunately, his brain is still a work in progress.
Colts fans have every right to be encouraged by the fact that Andrew Luck has started and finished three games this season. Last offseason, that would have qualified as an unquestionable success. The only downside to Luck’s play this year has been his inability or unwillingness to throw the ball down the field.
Fortunately, Luck doesn’t believe he’s suffering from any physical issues. He’s confident that he’s “going out there with his full arsenal.” He admits the deep passing game needs to get better, but the talented quarterback believes that will happen. Luck admits he’s missed some opportunities to take shots in the first three weeks, but he doesn’t seem concerned about his ability to correct those issues moving forward.
Of course, Luck needs to prove this one the field as the season goes on. The more snaps he gets under his belt this season the more risks he should be willing to take. Frank Reich’s offense needs the quarterback to add a vertical element to the passing game. The Colts aren’t going to win many games trying to nickel and dime opponents down the field.
The best news for Colts fans is that Luck has a really good opportunity to show what he’s capable of this week. Indianapolis will host a Texans team that sports one of the worst secondaries in the NFL. The line will need to make sure to keep J.J Watt away from their franchise quarterback, but if they give him time, Luck should thrive. There’s no reason to think he shouldn’t put up massive numbers against Bill O’Brien’s defense.
If Luck doesn’t push the ball down the field against the Texans, it’s going to be time to start asking some really tough questions about where his arm strength is. It’s great to talk about your ability to make every throw, but this is a result based league. Luck has to start letting the ball rip soon if he wants to maintain his status as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.
It’s too soon to bet against Luck making it all the way back, but it’s not too soon to start asking serious questions. If his issues are all mental, it’s time for him to get over the intellectual hump on Sunday. The Texans are a perfect matchup for him to show everyone that his arm strength is all the way back.