Colts vs Patriots: Why Andrew Luck Still Has a Long Way to Go

In all of our effusiveness about how well Andrew Luck was doing in his rookie year, sometimes it's lost that he is, in fact, a rookie.

I suppose we could consider his game against the New England Patriots as a solid reminder. He did throw for 334 yards and a couple touchdowns, but he also threw three interceptions, and in a game against Tom Brady, you cannot give him many chances. Especially when he is as hot as he was on Sunday. 

There was also the poor completion percentage. He completed only 27 of his 50 attempts and produced a 63.3 quarterback rating. The troubles with completions in this game bring his season-long 57.7 percentage to light. That's just not good enough and is something most quarterbacks improve upon with time.

These days will happen to almost any quarterback, but Luck is one of the special ones. He's the type that can throw together a season on par with Aaron Rodgers' 2012, Peyton Manning's 2004 and Brady's 2007. Magical seasons where the signal-caller can do no wrong and every throw seems to be on target.

That wasn't the case for Luck against the Pats. He had trouble connecting on a lot of throws, unless it was to a Patriots defensive back.

Perhaps too much blame will fall at his feet. It's always that way with a quarterback or coach. His offensive line is still a work in progress, so the lone sack he endured is really a testament to his pocket presence.

Plus, the defense didn't exactly put him in a position to succeed. When the defense knows you have to throw it on every down, the odds will be stacked against you. 

However, he wasn't at the level that we have already come to expect from him.

I'm not too concerned about it, though. I'm sure the kid will be alright.

Maybe.