After two consecutive seasons with an 11-5 record and playoff berths, Andrew Luck is doing an excellent job in helping Colts fans move on from the days of Peyton Manning. Luck has been clutch, he’s been record breaking, and he has lifted a team from ground zero back into the Super Bowl hunt. Peyton Manning did all of these things as well but not nearly in the same fashion or time frame. It took Manning four years to win his first playoff game, while Luck only needed two. However, based off of his three playoff games, has Andrew Luck shown any difference from Manning’s playoff woes aside from his historic comeback victory?
More of the same in Indy?
The answer, at least for the time being, is no. While Luck has shown that almost no deficit seems unconquerable, he has put his team in those positions at times. Many will remember the outstanding plays in the Kansas City-Indianapolis playoff rematch; such as the Donald Brown fumble recovery for a touchdown, the first designed run play for Luck in the pros on fourth down and of course the game-winning 64-yard touchdown pass to T.Y. Hilton. But do not mistake this for greatness alone. Luck’s historic 28-point comeback cannot be described as merely heroic. It was an atonement he had to make to his team for putting them into that position. Luck threw three interceptions in this game, one of which was on the very first play of the second half. The story of the game was the comeback, but stories always have more to them than what is represented.
Luck was able to comeback from that deficit. However, he pulled a Manning on the Colts and did not show up for the Divisional Round at New England. This time, Luck only threw two touchdowns to his four interceptions and was not able to help his defense, who was worn from the beating LeGarrette Blount put on them, come back in a second straight game.
Now Luck is still a very young player in the league, and asking any sophomore quarterback to challenge the best quarterback-coaching duo in NFL history in their house and come out victorious is a very heavy request, but, sorry Mike Smith and Jemele Hill, numbers never lie. This past season, the former Stanford Cardinal only through nine interceptions the entire season, halving his number of 18 from his rookie season and still maintaining 23 passing touchdowns for the second straight year.
Unfortunately, he threw seven total interceptions in only two playoff games and cost his team a victory. There were some unfortunate drops and bounces that fell into defenders hands, but interceptions like the one Luck had on just the third play of the game against the Patriots can hurt a quarterback’s image as far as showing up for the playoffs goes.
Counting this year’s playoffs, Luck has played in three playoff games with a record of 1-2. He has thrown a total of nine interceptions in those games, averaging three interceptions per game for his playoff career.
Again, Luck is only two years into the league and breaking records for comebacks and passing yards in two seasons is astonishing, but will Andrew Luck do any better than Manning has? Will Luck be able to go deeper into the playoffs and stay there year after year unlike his predecessor? From what has been seen so far the answer is no.
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