The curious case of the Colts: What gives with Andrew Luck and Indianapolis?

Gregg Patton examines the confounding Indianapolis Colts and their quarterback Andrew Luck – perceived powerhouses living in an upside-down world early in the NFL season.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck reacts after fumbling against the New York Jets in his team's NFL loss on Monday night. AJ Mast / AP / September 21, 2015

Andrew Luck has always been so good.

Which is why it is so odd to see the Indianapolis Colts quarterback perform so badly two weeks into the new season.

With Luck sitting at the bottom of the league’s passer rating chart, the AFC South favourite Colts suddenly look like a box of doughnuts sitting on the break-room table, waiting to be gobbled up by anyone who passes by.

The Tennessee Titans are next up for the winless Colts. For the first time in his young pro career, golden boy Luck, 26, is answering uncomfortable questions. To his credit, he is taking full responsibility.

“I have to improve, no question,” he said. “As a quarterback, it’s in your hands. I haven’t made the best decision. I’ve missed some throws.”

The Colts were expected to win at the Buffalo Bills and at home over the New York Jets but were thrashed in both games.

Luck threw five interceptions and fumbled away the ball once. The Colts offence averaged 29 points per game last year. This year they added veteran stars in running back Frank Gore and receiver Andre Johnson to give Luck more options.

The paltry returns? In two games, the Colts have 21 points; Gore has 88 yards rushing; Johnson 51 yards receiving.

Of the nine teams who started 0-2, four of them – the Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and the Colts – still have reason to believe they have play-offs talent. But Indianapolis have been the most surprisingly dull against teams they could have defeated.

It is true that the Bills have an established, respected defence, and the Jets may have grown one. But the Bills did surrender 40 points to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Week 2. The Jets are a work-in-progress under a new coach, and should be exploitable by a top-of-the-line NFL quarterback.

What gives?

No doubt Indianapolis’s offensive line is a problem. The big and mobile Luck has been sacked four times. The Jets also hit him six times as he threw the ball.

The Colts defence does not make opponents swoon with fear, but has been stout enough against Buffalo (27 points) and the Jets (21) to give Luck and the supposed high-powered offence a chance to win.

It is the turnovers that have killed the Colts, and that comes back to you-know-who.

Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano singled out Luck in the wake of the Jets defeat for not being more careful with the ball.

“It’s not that hard,” Pagano said. “It’s not trigonometry.”

Later in the week, and a bit cooler in the head, Pagano was back to calling Luck “great” and “phenomenal”, but did not back away from his Luck problem.

“Does he have to make good decisions? Absolutely,” Pagano said. “Does he have to manage the game? Absolutely. It’s the hardest job on the football field.”

A few weeks ago, the game at Tennessee on Sunday would have been perceived a marshmallow for the Colts: against a division rival they have beaten seven consecutive times, who play a rookie quarterback, in Marcus Mariota. But Mariota has been surprisingly good, posting the highest passer rating of any starter in the league – 31 spots ahead of Luck.

For now, for Luck, it’s an upside-down world.

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