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Andrew Luck must start, be angry to give Indianapolis Colts a chance

By Luis Tirado Jr.

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If the Indianapolis Colts want to have a fighting chance at defeating the New England Patriots tonight on Sunday Night Football, quarterback Andrew Luck must start and prove he can put the past behind him.

In their 80th meeting against each other, tonight’s Patriots vs Colts game will be one of the most watched NFL games of the season. It’s the first time both teams will face each other since last year’s AFC Championship game that saw the Patriots rout the Colts 45-7 and cause quite the controversy in the process.

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It was that very game that spawned the entire DeflateGate scandal and sent the Patriots as a franchise into being questioned for their integrity to the game of pro football. Quarterback Tom Brady was facing a four-game suspension but was able to get it overturned and well, has been on a revenge tour against opposing teams ever since it was appealed.

So far this season, Brady has played some pretty incredible football. He has totaled 1,387 passing yards on 116 completions for 11 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. As he heads on the road to face the Colts in Lucas Oil Stadium, if the Colts want to have a fighting chance against him and his Patriots, Andrew Luck must absolutely start.

While the Colts have done well in Luck’s absence thanks to veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, to expect him to win a shootout against Brady simply won’t be a reality. He’s serviceable but doesn’t have the skill-set to really go toe-to-toe with a future Hall of Fame quarterback, especially with how great he’s been playing lately.

Luck however has plenty of experience against the Patriots’ defense and puts the Colts in the best position to win if it came down to an offensive battle. At this current moment, Luck is listed as “questionable” for tonight’s matchup but all signs indicate he will indeed suit up to play against one of his top competitors.

Oct 8, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (left) runs with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) prior to the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

When it came to practices this week with the Colts, Luck fully participated on Friday and was taking reps with the first team offense. In an article written by Zak Keefer of the Indy Star, his sore throwing shoulder injury is allowing him to hit passes as he felt no discomfort in throwing. Luck was also hitting deep passes and looks like he’s more than likely going to start in this highly anticipated rematch.

While the Colts haven’t really guaranteed his return tonight, perhaps it’s a tactic to throw off the Patriots right until kickoff. Truth of the matter is, the Colts are 3-2 for the season and riding a three-game winning streak with hopes of extending it to four while bringing home a huge upset win over the Patriots. What’s in the past is just that as Luck should use it as a catalyst to put up a clinic against the Patriots. If anyone can beat the Patriots, a rejuvenated and focused Luck can if everything falls into place.

It definitely won’t be easy but if Luck can get under center and remember the pure anger of losing that AFC Championship game possibly due to cheating thanks to deflated footballs, perhaps he can use that to channel pure efficiency to get the job done, much to the delight of the home crowd that will no doubt cheer him all game long. The Patriots have been unstoppable but maybe, just maybe, Luck is exactly what the Colts need to slam dunk the Patriots back to reality.

Next: New England Patriots: How the Indianapolis Colts could win

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