Andrew Luck is on the verge of becoming an elite quarterback, can state his case next week
By Daniel
It’s a rare but magical moment when a quarterback jumps from a Pro Bowl-level player to an elite quarterback. That is exactly what Andrew Luck is doing before our eyes. He led the NFL in touchdown passes (40) during the 2014 football season. Statistically, he has asserted himself as one of the game’s top quarterbacks. Although now he has an opportunity to cement himself as an elite quarterback.
The former Stanford stud is a rising star and has already made the fans in Indianapolis forget about his predecessor — Peyton Manning. The torch has officially been passed. Luck outperformed and defeated Manning on Sunday afternoon for the right to play New England with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
Despite all of the success that he’s enjoyed in his first three seasons, including three trips to the playoffs and a 3-2 record, I am hesitant to call him an elite quarterback. That seemingly overused phrase is reserved for the very best of the best. That said, Luck is already, at the age of 25, stating his case as to why he truly is elite.
The regular season is where players, specifically quarterbacks, showcase their talents week-in and week-out. But it’s the postseason where legends are born; where players become elite. Luck is destined to be the next face of the NFL, along with Seattle’s Russell Wilson and Houston’s J.J. Watt. If he wins next week in New England, dethroning Tom Brady, he will accelerate that process considerably.
Suppose that Luck outperforms Brady, his second legend in as many weeks, and carries his Colts a Super Bowl championship. That three week stretch will forever be the chapter of his story about how his career shifted from full of potential to him boasting the best four-year stint to start a career in NFL history.
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Russell Wilson already has a Super Bowl championship, although his statistics don’t specifically set him apart (20 TDs, 7 INTs this season). Wilson may be one of the league’s top leaders, but Luck has the ability to become known as one of the NFL’s most dominant quarterbacks — perhaps the most.
The Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers is certainly ahead of Luck at the moment, as far as elite quarterbacks go, but he is also six years older than Indy’s leader. Clearly, Luck is in position dominate for years to come. This year he has a chance to take the final step toward being elite. The Colts are also going to be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.
If Luck and the Colts lose next week he will still firmly be in the elite discussion. However, if they defeat the Patriots, Luck will enter Super Bowl week being celebrated as one of the league’s top players. He will also have a chance to begin building what is certain to be an amazing legacy.
There is no player with more to gain in next week’s Conference Championship Sunday match-ups. The other three quarterbacks all already boast Super Bowl rings. Will Luck join them? Either way, there is no denying that he is on the verge of becoming indisputably elite, in every sense of the word.