New look for Luck
Indy is using more short passes, but that could change
It was perfectly clear what the situation called for Sunday: The Colts’ offense needed a desperation heave with five seconds remaining while trailing the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles.
What was unusual, though, was which quarterback delivered the Hail Mary pass that fell incomplete as the Colts lost their second game of the season.
Instead of having franchise quarterback Andrew Luck, the Colts’ $140 million man and former Stratford High School star, throw the football, coach Frank Reich inserted backup Jacoby Brissett.
Brissett has a stronger arm at this point than Luck, who has not regained his full arm strength since returning from severe shoulder problems that required surgery.
The Colts’ actions and game plan involving Luck clearly indicate the state of his shoulder and their offense.
Luck hasn’t attempted a pass longer than 31 yards this season. Although he’s completing a career-high 68.5 percent of his throws, Luck is averaging a careerlow 5.3 yards per attempt.
The Colts are dinking and dunking with Luck at the controls. Heading into Sunday’s game at Lucas Oil Stadium, the winless Texans don’t want this to be the game that Luck starts launching passes with more velocity and distance.
“That’s the key,” Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. “His arm strength is coming back and so you don’t know exactly when it’s going to be fully back. You just hope that he doesn’t get it fully back for the game that you’re playing against him.
“Andrew, he’s a good quarterback. He’s strong, physical, tough, can run, can throw the ball down the field when they need to or want to. You cannot underestimate this guy at all.”
Prior to this season, Luck had a tendency and ability to throw deep.
He had 114 passes over the previous five seasons 31 yards or longer.
Against the Eagles, Luck completed 25 of 40 passes. However, he passed for just 164 yards.
Despite the evidence that his arm isn’t all the way back yet, Luck disagrees. Luck emphasized that Brissett has a stronger arm than him and he had no issue with being replaced for the Hail Mary pass.
“I know I’m at a level where I can make all the throws and I feel confident that I’m going out there with my full arsenal,” Luck told Indianapolis reporters. “I don’t think anything is physically holding me back. But again you can always get better and I don’t think I’m anywhere near scratching the surface of realizing my full potential.
“It can definitely get better. We could probably look back and say if we had a couple more chunks in the first few games, maybe that would swing the tide in a way. We’ll work on it. I’ll work on it.”
Luck has five touchdowns and three interceptions but just 662 passing yards overall. He has two consecutive games under 200 yards.
Even if Luck has his limitations, he remains a highly regarded team leader.
“He’s just a class-act, a great leader and player,” said Reich, in his first year as the Colts’ coach. “It’s been a joy and a lot of fun to coach him. It’s still early in the process, but what I see is a guy with tremendous work ethic. He’s overcome a really significant injury to put himself back in a position at full strength to help this team and to help us go where we want to go.
“He’s one of the key guys leading the charge, and it exudes in everything he does. From the way he prepares, from the way the way he works out — the guy’s just a consummate professional in that regard.”
The Colts are 1-2 and are missing left tackle Anthony Castonzo because of a hamstring injury and right tackle Joe Haeg with an ankle injury. The Colts have played without tight end Jack Doyle because of a hip injury.
Despite the Colts’ shortcomings, the presence of Luck garners plenty of respect from the Texans.
“He’s obviously always been a great player,” Texans defensive end J.J. Watt said. “He’s resilient, tough, he can run a bit, he can throw the ball very well. Obviously, having been through some injuries myself, I know I’m sure how happy he is just to be back on the field. He’s always been a great player. It’s a good challenge for us and I always look forward to facing them.”
Luck missed the entire season last year, so rust is probably a factor in his play. He’s also endured a lot of health issues.
Luck insists that he has the freedom to cut it loose.
“I feel free to call anything,” Luck said. “There’s no doubt there are times when you’re going on the road and you’re in a hostile environment, you might try to get it out early. But you can’t stay in that mode. You can’t play scared.”
Two seasons ago, Luck started all but one game. He passed for 4,240 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also averaged a career-high 7.8 yards per passing attempt.
The philosophy and style of play is much different now.
“The offense has changed,” Crennel said. “They have a new offensive coordinator and it looks like they’re putting an emphasis on some of the shorter passing game and they’re having some success with it, so they might stay with it a while. Quite frankly, after last week, they’ll probably stay with it.”
By necessity perhaps, Luck is getting rid of the football quickly. He’s been sacked five times. Luck is traditionally difficult to bring down.
“He fights through everything,” Texans outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney said. “Andrew Luck is very competitive, don’t give up on (any) play and always thinks he has a chance, so it’ll be a good game.”
Opposing quarterbacks have completed 73.3 percent of their throws against the Texans for seven touchdown passes, 765 yards and just one interception for a combined 119.9 passer rating. The Texans have given up 238.3 passing yards per game and 8.5 yards per passing attempt.
The Texans would be the last team to underestimate Luck or any quarterback at this point.
“Same guy, very competitive, very smart, very accurate,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said of Luck. “What’s always stood out to me, the reason why I have such great respect for him, is how he competes. He never feels like the play’s over. He keeps his team in the game and he’s a great player.”