A problem with Luck
Titans haven’t beaten Colts QB in nine tries
INDIANAPOLIS — The Tennessee Titans believe a whole new look might solve their Andrew Luck problem.
Hey, nothing else has worked. Since the Indianapolis Colts drafted their current franchise quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in 2012, he has started nine games against the Titans and never lost — not when he played poorly, not when he left early, not even when he got hurt. So heading into the latest matchup of these AFC South rivals, the Titans (5-4) are going with a different strategy in hopes of outwitting an old nemesis and the Colts (4-5).
“They give you multiple looks; they’re probably more multiple than any team in the league,” Colts coach Frank Reich said. “I look at it much like an offense, in terms of what we try to do on offense with packages, they do it on defense. They do it well.”
The Titans have stolen a page right out of the playbook of the New England Patriots — the team they beat 34-10 last Sunday in Nashville — and made it work.
They have allowed the fewest points per game, the fewest touchdowns and the lowest passer rating against the blitz in the NFL this season. They’ve moved into second place in the division, one game behind the Houston Texans, by pitching consecutive second-half shutouts against Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Tom Brady.
Now comes the hard part — beating Luck.
“For me, it’s always personal going against this guy,” said Jurrell Casey, the Titans’ threetime Pro Bowl defensive lineman whose struggles against Luck include two college losses. “I’m always talking mess, but right now I can’t talk too much mess. He’s got the upper hand.”
Tennessee knows the story all too well.
Before sweeping Indianapolis last season, which Luck sat out after shoulder surgery, the Titans had lost 11 straight in the series to three different quarterbacks: Luck, Matt Hasselbeck and Dan Orlovsky, who ended the Colts’ 0-13 start to the 2011 season with a win over Tennessee. Even in the September 2015 game when Luck initially injured his shoulder, his late rally gave the Colts their first win of the season.
But this challenge could be even more daunting with Luck playing some of the best football of his career.
He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in a league-high 32 consecutive games and three or more touchdowns in six straight games, fourth all-time behind Brady, Peyton Manning and Dan Marino. Luck’s completion rate of 66.3 percent is a career best, and he hasn’t been sacked in 185 dropbacks, another career high.
Not surprisingly, the Colts have won three straight and can get back to .500 — if Luck wins again.
“I’m aware of it,” Luck said, downplaying his 9-0 mark against the Titans. “But what’s happened has happened, and good, bad or ugly, it doesn’t really matter.”
On the heels of their surprising rout of the Patriots, who had beaten Tennessee in seven straight meetings, now the Titans will try to end another skid by continuing their strong defensive play under first-year coach Mike Vrabel, a former linebacker who beat one of his former teams and coaches by topping New England and Bill Belichick.
It’s not just the obvious stats showing how well the Titans have played on that side of the ball. After halftime last week, New England managed only six first downs and 117 yards and was just 1-for-7 on third-down conversions. The improvement also coincides with the return of strong safety Kenny Vaccaro, who missed three games because of an injured elbow.
“I think it’s a credit to the players, that’s what it is,” Vrabel said. “They get a call, and the players go out and execute. That’s really what it comes down to.”