INDIANAPOLIS — It’s officially time to stop questioning Andrew Luck. And more importantly, it’s time to stop questioning the Indianapolis Colts quarterback’s surgically repaired right shoulder.
The questions don’t need to come today, tomorrow, next week or next month.
Luck proved that Sunday afternoon, silencing any naysayers worried about his ability to throw the ball with any zip and distance. He reset the clock to his pre-injury days by throwing for a career-high 464 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-34 loss to the Texans.
“Y’all putting too much on him,” receiver T.Y. Hilton said. “He’s all right.”
Luck’s performance would have been the headline — not coach Frank Reich’s decision to go for it on fourth down in overtime — had the Colts found the way to come from behind to beat the Texans. It also came after Luck and Reich spent last week answering questions about the quarterback’s shoulder after he was taken out of the game for a Hail Mary on the final play in the Week 3 loss to the Eagles.
Throwing for a career high in yards along with breaking the franchise record in attempts (62) and tying the franchise in completions (40) doesn’t suggest Luck is a quarterback who is having issues throwing the ball. He’s thrown for 319 or more yards in two of the first four games this season. Therefore, Luck’s shoulder and durability are nowhere near the top of the Colts’ list of concerns.
“At times this was the best I’ve felt in a long, long time,” Luck said. “I don’t want to compare to what’s happened in the past, but there [were] times out there where we were doing some really good stuff. We have to find a way when we start off with a great drive, building on [it].”
That’s Luck for you. He refuses to let the focus be on him. For him, it’s about the entire roster all the way down to the final practice player. The only time Luck talked about himself was when he took the blame for the bad throw to receiver Chester Rogers on the failed fourth down attempt in overtime.
Luck put up Sunday’s numbers without his starting left tackle Anthony Castonzo, right tackle Joe Haeg, favorite tight end target Jack Doyle and then had to complete the comeback after Hilton left the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.
Missing his top tackles had Luck throwing on the move, making quick throws and even making throws while getting hit, as he faced constant duress from Houston’s pass-rushing duo of J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney.
“It was a long game — 60 dropbacks is a lot,” Luck said. “I think what we did the first drive of the game — great. Can’t ask for a better drive. Then sort of the comedy of errors that everybody was a part of I think dictated that we had to drop back a bunch, and that’s not what you want to do against this team. Three elite rushers. There are no slouches on that defense.
“I am particularly proud of our offensive line and our guys for hanging in there. It’s easy to tuck your tail between your legs and sit down and tell the coach we can’t pass it. We’ve got to have eight-man protection. They didn’t. They got back right up every time and fought until the bitter end.”
All Luck did to offset the loss of those players was do what he did early in his career when he looked like one of the future stars in the NFL: Spread the ball around.
Eight different players had at least 17 yards receiving and Luck’s passing yards would have been higher if not for some drops. Rogers and rookie running back Nyheim Hines tied for the team high in targets with 11 and rookie Zach Pascal went from being a kick returner to having 10 targets and a touchdown. That’s vintage Luck for you, a quarterback capable of making the most out of what he has at his disposal.
The Colts will need more of that from Luck — likely in less pass attempts — because it doesn’t look look like he’ll have Hilton against New England because of a hamstring injury. Doyle is still out with the hip injury, too.
But like Hilton said, Luck is “all right.”
Sunday was further proof of that.
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