AFC South: 5 things to look for in 2018
By Cody Rivera
4. Andrew Luck is back, at last
Last year, the Indianapolis Colts stumbled to a less-than-stellar 4-12 record. But what else can you expect when you are forced to play the entire season without your superstar quarterback? The Colts had to turn to backup Jacoby Brissett, a former disciple of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, to try to hold down the fort and keep the Colts competitive.
Brissett could only do much, especially when surrounded by an ineffective supporting cast. In 2018, the Colts have strived to make it a much better football environment for the returning Andrew Luck, who missed all of last year recovering from shoulder surgery. They hired a new head coach in Frank Reich, the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles that dropped 41 points on Bill Belichick’s New England defense in Super Bowl LII in February. In a new offense-oriented system, Luck should be able to flourish and get back to his old ways – as long as he stays healthy for the full year.
To get back into the Super Bowl conversation, Indianapolis needs Luck to great, and that’s why they drafted him No. 1 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft as the immediate heir to Peyton Manning’s throne. Luck has the skill to be great, as he showed in his first few seasons by leading the Colts to multiple playoff appearances. But now entering his age 29 season – smack dab in the middle of his prime – the Colts need Luck to get back to that level and beyond to get them over the playoff hump.
There’s no need to worry about him just yet, as Manning was 30 before he finally got the Colts to a Super Bowl championship. But Luck’s clock is definitely ticking.