Arians: Luck could pass Manning
They’re going to pay homage to the King, but let’s not forget about the Prince.
Peyton Manning’s return to Indianapolis tonight is a huge deal, to be sure. This is sitting NFL royalty going back to the palace he built — Lucas Oil Stadium — to play in front of his throng of fans who were fortunate enough to almost always eat cake during Manning’s 14-year rule in Indianapolis.
But before we all get swept away in the emotion and drama of Manning playing his first game against the Colts since he was forced to abdicate the throne, let’s examine his young successor.
Andrew Luck conceivably could become even better than Manning.
Yeah, that may sound like sacrilege, but take it from the coach who got a chance to work with both quarterbacks when they first broke into the NFL.
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians was Manning’s quarterbacks coach in Indy when Peyton was a pup. He was also Luck’s offensive coordinator and interim head coach last season.
Arians told me on Friday that Luck could end up being the best there ever was and certainly the best he’s ever coached.
“Oh, there’s no doubt,” he said. “There’s no doubt at all, because he’s a combination of all the guys I’ve had. He’s cerebral like Peyton. He’s athletic and big and strong like Ben (Roethlisberger). And he’s accurate like (Tim) Couch.”
Couch might not have had an illustrious career in the NFL with the Browns, but during his senior season at Kentucky in 1998, Manning’s first year with the Colts, he completed 72.3 percent of his passes.
Still, it’s a pretty high compliment from Arians. And while comparing Luck with Manning may not be fair at this early stage in Luck’s ca-
reer, the fact that he said it at all speaks volumes.
And there’s some merit to
it.
Don’t forget, when Luck was drafted No. 1 overall last year by the Colts, he was hailed as the best quarterback prospect to enter the NFL since John Elway. And no one has backed down from making that claim.
Here’s some more-tangible food for thought: In 22 games, Luck has passed for 5,720 yards and 30 touchdowns. In Manning’s first 22 games, he passed for 5,478 yards and 39 touchdowns.
“I see the similarities, but Andrew has got an unbelievable feel for the game just like Peyton,” Arians said. “But it’s his athleticism that gets overlooked. He’s a phenomenal athlete.”
Manning was never mobile in the pocket. He has such a quick release and an amazing ability to read defenses, though, that he didn’t need to be agile. Luck has both traits. He can pick apart a secondary and can run for first downs and scramble to avoid pressure.
He already has rushed for seven touchdowns — or two fewer than Manning had in his first eight years in the league.
But it’s the arm and the intangibles, the leadership and the vision, and the ability to drive his team down the field in fourth-quarter comeback rallies that excite all who follow Luck.
It’s that and more which makes Arians truly believe Luck, the young prince, could eventually rewrite the NFLrecord book and surpass the superlatives of Manning, the aging king.
“Oh, yeah, I think so,” the coach said. “I don’t doubt that at all. So long as they keep putting players around him, he could break ’em all. He’s that good.”
Tonight will be all about Peyton Manning. The King deserves his regal homecoming and the tributes that come with it. And, yes, he will probably walk away from this game victorious, judging from how precise he and the Broncos’ offense have been through the season’s first six games.
But don’t forget about Andrew Luck. The future is his, and with all due respect to his peers from the great quarterback class of 2012, it could end up being his alone.