Colts vs. Steelers: Andrew Luck Faces Huge Challenge Against Pittsburgh Defense

Andrew Luck looked ready in his preseason debut against the St. Louis Rams. The No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft will have a stiffer challenge Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense.

Against the Rams the rookie from Stanford showed poise in the pocket and a strong downfield delivery that led to three touchdowns on four drives. It also didn’t hurt that he had time in the pocket to see the field and make those throws. He wasn’t sacked once in his debut.

He will not have that luxury Sunday night at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

If the Steelers defense could be defined with one word, it would be “tenacious.” They are simply unrelenting at the point of attack and will test Luck’s resolve as well as his ability to operate while under pressure. While the Rams did put some pressure on him, they couldn’t quite get to him.

The Steelers will.

In their preseason opener, the Steelers’ defense stifled the Philadelphia Eagles, holding the team to a mere 54 yards of total offense and shutting them out in the first half. They also sidelined Michael Vick after he was forced up in the pocket by the Steelers' pressure and his hand collided with a teammate’s helmet on the throw.

Luck wasn’t pressured enough to smack his hand on anyone’s helmet other than his own in his debut against the Rams.

It may be a daunting task this early for Luck, but he’s shown why he was picked No. 1 overall in April’s draft. Everything that was said about his maturity, accuracy and athleticism looked on point against the Rams.

The way Luck handles this test will help decipher whether his first performance was a fluke or whether he is truly the next big thing calling the plays for the Indianapolis Colts.

After all, you’re never the best until you can step up to the plate and beat the best. He’ll be asked to do that if he has any hopes of revitalizing the Colts’ offense and bringing his team back to the Super Bowl, eventually.

Mike Hoag Jr. is a Trends and Traffic writer for Bleacher Report and also covers the Cleveland Browns and the NFL for the site. Follow him on Twitter @BigHoagowski.