Luck returns to rout N.Y. Jets

EASTRUTHERFORD, N.J. — Andrew Luck was nearly perfect in his return from a concussion, throwing for four touchdowns, three to Dwayne Allen, in the Indianapolis Colts’ 41-10 romp Monday night against the inept New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Not that Luck had to work very hard against the hosts, who were booed by a muchless-than-filled stadium almost from the outset.

Luck missed the Thanksgiving night loss to the Steelers, cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol on the weekend, and came back in style with a prime-time performance. He lifted Indianapolis (6-6) into a tie for the lead in the AFC South Division with Tennessee and Houston.

Allen and T.Y. Hilton were his main targets as he went 22 of 28 for 278 yards, and they received little opposition from the Jets (3-9).

This one couldn’t have come easier for Indianapolis. The Colts toyed with the lifeless Jets from the beginning, when New York’s Jeremy Ross got to only his 11 with the opening kickoff return. A three-and-out gave Luck the ball, and seven plays later, he hit Allen for a 7-0 edge.

Indianapolis needed only four plays on its next series, with Allen even more open for a 21-yard reception to make it 14-0. At that juncture, the Colts had gained 120 yards, the Jets 6. Those figures wound up, 421-250. Indianapolis scored its most points since Week 13 of 2014; the Jets allowed their most since Week 8 of that season.

The Jets finally found some spark after Pat McAfee’s punt was downed at their 3. Matt Forte turned a short pass into a 40-yard gain with a nasty move on Rashaan Melvin, but that drive stalled and Nick Folk made a 38-yard field goal.

That temporarily quieted the boobirds in the stadium. But Luck hit Hilton for 23 yards on the Colts’ next play, Gore ran for 19 and Adam Vinatieri kicked a 53yard field goal to make it 173.