Comeback Player of the Year article...
 

From NFL.com (located here):
The future is so bright.....I gotta triple up :cool::cool::cool:

Walk Worthy,

I'm not sure I agree with this portion. It's a different offense that stresses quick, high percentage short- and medium-range passes.

I realize we're in an era of inflated passing stats, but I still find it remarkable that Luck is nearly on a Peyton 49 TD pace while throwing to the likes of Ryan Grant and Chester Rogers. Can you imagine what he would look like with 2004 Marvin, Reggie, and Stokley?

How does that contradict what the author said?

The author is implying Luck didn't have those traits while the poster is saying the traits were there, but latent due to scheme. I'd agree with the poster because I don't think it's a surprise that going from a scheme that emphasizes medium and deep routes to a scheme that emphasizes short and medium routes resulted in an uptick in Luck's accuracy. That's just logical.

On a slightly related note, I'm starting to see upgrades at WR as less and less of a need. Between scheme and QB, TE usage in this offense is incredibly high, and I'd argue WR2 is a 5th or 6th option unless they bring in someone really good or Cain develops really well. As of now though, I'd say the target order in this offense is Hilton, Ebron, Doyle, Alie-Cox, RB.

I don't feel the need to figure out whether this is the same or better version of Luck. I just feel we are incredibly fortunate to have him back and performing so well. I saw a video clip on Facebook last week from one of their practices. It was a QB challenge between Walker, Brissett and Luck. They performed it in that order. The QB coach had stacked two 30 gallon plastic trash cans on top of each other so the second was raised up on the base of the first, with the opening up. They were stacked on the very outer back corner of the end zone. The QBs were standing around the 40ish yard line...... 3 tosses each. Walker: missed the trash can 3 times by alot....not even close. Brissett: knocked the top trash can off it's base 3 times with a hell of a velocity. Andrew: Gently lopped the football into the trashcan 3 times w/out the can even wobbling on it's base. Nothing but net. Heard Ebron interview on DD show today....he couldn't say enough about how catchable Luck's balls are vs. what he's used to......makes sense given that we are seeing Luck make some mediocre receiver talent look serviceable.

What Dam said. The author says Luck "looks like a different QB." I say, he could always do this. The difference is that he's only now being asked to do it.

Now this is something that I feel is appreciably better about 2018 Luck. He always had very good touch and accuracy, but I feel like he's taken it to a new level this season.

I saw a stat the other day that the Colts were at the very bottom of the league in YAC. They've been able to get around it by stacking positive plays together, but adding more playmakers at WR is the difference between this current version of the Colts offense and what the Chiefs and Rams are doing.

The defense absolutely takes precedence, but I really hope they add an upgrade at WR2 this offseason.

I don't see better WRs as increasing YAC, unless you're looking at Boldin types. I would think TEs are the players that would increase YAC, so that stat is a bit surprising.

You're leaving out the TE's, which is what is making this offense so effective. It isn't Luck to Rogers or Luck to Grant, but Luck to Ebron, Doyle, Mo-Allie, in regards to the skill players anyway. The massive o-line improvement is helping to make it all happen of course.

Peyton had Clark and Pollard in 2004, so I considered that a wash vs 2018. The difference is the WRs.

He just has time to throw. I think this QB has always been there. I will say he is making smarter decisions when running now.

I think to some degree both are true. The previous schemes and, to a lesser degree, talent level required the Favre like gun slinger, “its all on me” mentality. They won and lost almost solely on his individual brilliance. His ability to throw a guy open, his ability to deliver a perfect throw as he’s being crushed by a defender, or his toughness to tuck the ball, run, and lower a shoulder to get that extra yard if necessary. It worked until it didn’t. And over time it becomes a bad habit that can limit a QBs ceiling. Luck was on that path.

Reich’s scheme places Xs and Os over individual brilliance. He puts guys in position to make plays. He understands what a player brings to the table and uses it to stress the defense. There is an article out there about the Colts use of Ebron that mentions Reich’s pitch to Ebron. The basic pitch was that Reich understood Ebron’s unique skills and how to utilize them. He wouldn’t be an every down player, but when he was used it would be as a difference maker. I don’t think anyone can argue Reich hasn’t done exactly that. And you see it with most of the other offensive players. And that includes Luck IMO. Instead of being the entertaining and brilliant sole member of a one man band, Luck is becoming the boring, but no less brilliant conductor of a much larger orchestra. Luck has always had it in him - he’s a smart unselfish player - but I think it’s also a mistake to believe Luck isn’t becoming a better player under Reich’s leadership.

I agree with everything you're saying, but that isn't what the author said. He called Luck a more "decisive" passer. That indicates that the author thinks he held onto the ball for too long, which I think was more a product of scheme and always pushing for the big play.

Maybe I just watched enough of him at Stanford to know that this style of QB was always there and he's simply been doing what the coaches have asked of him this whole time.

Yeah, this is probably the actual difference.

Yeah it’s easier to make a decision when 1) you have time, and 2) you have open options. I guess I agree that it’s not necessarily him being more “decisive” as if he was the primary issue. He played mostly as the scheme led him to play.

However I do think he is playing like a better QB even when you account for the scheme and or time difference. No matter the reason he had developed some Farve’esque type habits that you don’t want a QB to develop. I agree that they developed because of the previous scheme and the teams need for him to carry them. But I do see them as bad habits and not a function of the scheme. As much as I disliked the previous scheme I’m pretty confident it didn’t call for Luck to predetermine and stare down his target (usually T.Y. or Doyle). That was him. Same with trying to make the perfect high risk throw while getting hit. I gaurentee he was told to throw the ball away. That’s where I see the difference in Luck that is not specifically a function of scheme. But it’s a chicken and egg kinda thing and all that matters is that it gets corrected. And currently it appears it is heading in a positive direction.

I’ll just add that I don’t see that as a knock on Luck in any way. I just see it as a product of good coaching. No matter how good the player, a good coach can and should make them better. That’s what I see with Luck and Reich and not much is more important for the future of this franchise than that IMO.

Yep. Only thing I'd add is that he seems to be making fewer of those "what were you thinking?!" throws than he did previously. I'm sure a lot of that is less pressure in the pocket, as well as having a good scheme that gets guys open.

Add a former QB and QB coach in guessing Reich has had a hand in that directly.

He has a choice of what play to make rather than trying to make a play

While I agree with this statement, you have to understand that Pagano and Chud, just kept preaching win your match ups, time and time again.

No emphasis was given to scheming guys open. Well, in that scheme with all the verticals that were being run by everybody but Doyle, TY was the only one who was going to win his match up consistently, and the ball either went to TY or Doyle out of necessity.

Finally, Luck has the protection he needs to be all he can be. If Ballard is as successful next year, prioritizing on drafting for D as he was this year with the emphasis on the O-line, we can be 2 years ahead of the rebuild. Bottom line, this team is fun to watch, after seeing the Pagano led shit storm for the past few years. To paraphrase a Broadway Joe quote,

"I can't wait til tomorrow, cuz this team gets better every day."

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MMQB Names Andrew Luck Comeback Player of the Year, Chris Ballard Executive of the Year

(By Matthew Van Tryon)

https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...qb/2457579002/

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And somehow Darius Leonard is 3rd in DROY voting, behind Derwin James (debatable) and Leighton Vander Esch (give me a fucking break).

And yet the same group of dorks gives Leonard some DPOY votes, while neither of the two ahead of him for DROY get any.

Amazing what actually protecting your quarterback will do. He was always capable of this, he showed this potential at Stanford. He was just too busy running for his life to show it. Lost several years due to a GM that couldn’t find talent and s coach that inexplicably wanted to run a long ball offense with a oline that couldn’t block.

protecting the QB coupled with a modern, innovative offense...

Right, which in of itself protects the QB. Luck is still throwing long bombs (sorry Skip, but he isn’t just dink and dunk Luck) but it isn’t obvious and he doesn’t face 3rdamd long every down. Just thinking of the previous scheme, staff, and front office pisses me off.

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I'll take dink-and-dunk, long, sustained drives all game long.

In the 1980's, part of the season why the Miami Dolphins' "Killer B" defense went from being vaunted to being at or near the bottom of the league was the fact that Dan Marino would often score very quickly, and the team's defense was subsequently on the field a lot.


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I don't think it's all attributable to time in the pocket. Some of it is mechanics. Luck spent a ton of time on his lower body and I think we're seeing it help. Remember the balls that would sail on Luck in the past? We aren't seeing that as much this year.

Luck is a fantastic player. In 2015, we're 11th in the league on 3rd down, add an ol and were 1st. Under brissett, were 18th. I'd love to say this is a comeback story, but it's really not.

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The PFWA complemented the verdict of Sports Illustrated/MMQB.


Colts’ Andrew Luck named Comeback Player of the Year by PFWA

(By Mike Chappell)

https://cbs4indy.com/2019/01/18/colt...-year-by-pfwa/

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Luck gets the Trifecta ........ The Sporting News, the PFWA, and the AP (Associated Press.)



Andrew Luck Named AP Comeback Player of the Year

(By John Newby)

https://247sports.com/nfl/indianapol...ors-128597604/

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