The Indianapolis Colts finally have their quarterback healthy with Andrew Luck. Optimism surrounding him should be really despite the injuries and layoff.
Andrew Luck hasn’t thrown a regular season pass for the Indianapolis Colts since Jan. 1, 2017. In his first two games this preseason, he’s looked decent as he’s worked towards returning. The third week was something different, though — this was the dominant version of Luck that came through quite often back in 2016.
Luck went 8-for-10 with 90 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball four times for 27 yards. That includes a run that saw the quarterback take a hard hit and get up immediately.
There’s a lot to be wary about when it comes to Luck. Of course, there could be rust. Meanwhile, injury scares will be around for a while until he proves he can stay healthy for an extended period of time. Then there’s the average-at-best unit around him. His weapons are limited to T.Y. Hilton and Ryan Grant at receiver, with Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle at tight end. The running backs are a barren wasteland.
Luck can change a lot of that though. In his last 38 games, the 28-year old has 86 touchdown passes. His arm can open up a lot for the team including elevating the talent in the passing game, and opening up holes for the running game.
For what it’s worth, Hilton is a legit No. 1 wide receiver with Luck, and Grant is a reliable target. Ebron and Doyle should put up solid numbers as well.
Week 3 of the preseason did exactly what it needed to for Andrew Luck. He proved he can take a hit, while shaking off plenty of rust. Now the final week of the preseason can be used for rest, as the Indianapolis Colts prepare for the regular season.
The good news is that their quarterback has returned. There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic, as well as some to be pessimistic. In this situation though, the good outweighs the bad. Andrew Luck has put up monster numbers in the past with bad supporting casts. There’s no reason he can’t do it again.