Oct 10, 2013
Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III have always been destined for comparisons. They were the top two picks in their draft year and there was heavy debate over who should be selected first and who should be selected second. While they play the same position, they could hardly be different in terms of playing style. For all their differences on the field, they are possibly even more different as personalities off the field. However, while Griffin may always have to mark himself against his fellow 2012 draftee’s performance, Luck should never concern himself with that issue.
After being the favored first overall pick (only just), Luck somehow got lost in the mix of young emergent QBs last season. The league was near revolutionized by the sudden insertion of quarterbacks who could throw the football and run the read option effectively. RGIII was the head of the crop, but Seattle’s Russell Wilson and San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick were the pair that really stole the show in the playoffs.
Luck’s more conventional playing style, which was probably one of the factors that gave him an edge in his draft class, and less spectacular overall numbers somehow left the then 23-year old Stanford graduate overshadowed and even pretty much out of the headlines. That’s pretty unusual for a first overall pick, especially when they are a starting QB.
It’s also worth nothing that Luck’s rookie campaign was nothing to sneeze at either. He led the Colts back into the playoffs where they lost 24-9 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. He threw for 4,374 yards and 23 touchdowns with a 76.5 QBR. He also demonstrated positive leadership qualities and showed that he is a quarterback with decent athleticism who can get out and run when he needs to. His playing style also clearly made him a little less susceptible to injury compared with his fellow young QB counterparts.
Of course his rookie campaign wasn’t without negatives. He threw 18 interceptions along with those 23 TDs; a pretty significant sign of decision making difficulties. 10 fumbles were another area of significant concern. Still, those statistics are typically higher for rookie quarterbacks and most expected Luck to improve on those numbers in 2013.
Indianapolis made a shaky start to the season. They only just edged past the Oakland Raiders and then suffered a home loss to Ryan Tannehill and the Miami Dolphins. However, a road win against the San Francisco 49ers in week 3 and another big win over the Seattle Seahawks last weekend has placed Luck and the Colts firmly on the map.
They top their division with a 4-1 record and are heavy favorites to win the AFC South with the Houston Texans looking in serious trouble with a 2-3 start.
Luck for his part has thrown seven TDs and only two interceptions while improving his QBR exponentially to 94.1 through five games this season. He has made better decisions and his play calling has also clearly improved. While Griffin, Wilson and Kaepernick have all arguably taken steps back after trying to follow up impressive 2012 seasons, Luck has clearly taken a step forward, at least so far.
The schedule over the next six weeks is testing for Indianapolis. They travel to face San Diego and the potentially devastating, though very erratic, Philip Rivers next weekend. They then take on the Denver Broncos before a bye week. The following three weeks include trips to face division rivals Houston and the Tennessee Titans and a home match-up against the St Louis Rams.
