By no means am I a statistics guy. I often cringe when people with limited insight into the game rely on stats.
When football IQ is low, stats are the first to get thrown around to compensate for the inability to articulate a strong argument otherwise.
I do believe, however, that stats can be a good measuring stick, tracking individual progression over the course of a career. I also believe statistics can be indicative of greatness if the body of work is large enough.
During Andrew Luck’s first two seasons, he has led the Colts to a record of 22-10, has engineered eleven game-winning drives with eight, 4th quarter comebacks. In his short two-year career, Luck has 46 touchdowns and 27 interceptions with an 81.5 passer rating. In 2013, Luck completed 60% of his passes throwing for 3,822 yards en route to his first Pro Bowl.
While impressive, these stats are only a glimpse into why Luck has the professional football world bracing for the next elite field general.
Talent alone will not allow a budding quarterback to reach their full potential. The trait that Andrew Luck shares with elite NFL quarterbacks, both past and present, is the fact that he is a natural born leader.
To be an effective leader of any cause in any context is a challenge. This simple-sounding quality cannot be measured at the Combine and can only be referred to by some of the brightest minds in football as that “thing.” I refer to this immeasurable quality as the “Tebow Effect.”
The gap between talent level and the ability to lead, in one single football player, was never as evident as with Timothy Richard Tebow.
While Tebow lacked the mechanical qualities necessary for consistent success at the professional level, his ability to lead and energize his teammates is undeniable.
The “Tebow Effect” is so rare, it even finds a way to beat genetics. Luck’s predecessor, Peyton Manning, has demonstrated these qualities consistently over the course of his career.
Manning’s brother and New York Giant quarterback Eli Manning, while talented and successful in his own right, has not.
Question: Have you wondered why your favorite NFL team resembles an All-Pro team in the media guide but performs like a bad Division I college team? The answer is simply because they lack the leadership.
A common misconception is that players should embrace their leadership role because they possess superior on-field talent.
This concept, while solid in theory, thrusts players into a position that they don’t know how to handle and often times have no desire to be in.
Teammates can sense a forced attempt to rally the troops, and over the course of time, efforts become counterproductive.
While superior talent can in fact make you the face of your franchise, the “Tebow Effect” ensures team cohesiveness; and it does so while ingraining the belief in every player, starter or special teamer, that their on-field role is vital and necessary for team success.
Luck not only possess the “Tebow Effect”, his intelligence and awareness mix well with his physical gifts and work ethic, providing Luck with all the ingredients on which a legend is built.
During Wildcard weekend, Luck defeated Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs in dramatic fashion earning his first postseason victory. He then had the opportunity to go to Foxborough and knock off an elite quarterback in Tom Brady.
Brady and the Patriots were victorious while Luck experienced the growing pains of professional playoff football.
Despite earning his first playoff win, Luck went 49 for 86 while throwing 6 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in two games during the 2013 postseason.
Luck had a completion percentage of 57% with a 76.4 passer rating, a sharp turn in comparison to his regular season numbers.
The NFL is chock full of exciting, young talent at the quarterback position. The Indianapolis Colts, however, are one of the few franchises in league history that has been able to put together almost two decades of elite quarterback play.
Luck must not only bring championships to Indy, he must do it in a timely fashion.
While it’s too early in Luck’s career for Michael Jordan-type comparisons, it is difficult to deny Luck’s ability to will his team to victory in the second half of games.
Despite Manning leading the Denver Broncos to Super Bowl XLVIII, the scene is set in the upcoming years for Luck to establish his brand and lead the next generation of NFL quarterbacks.
During the 2013-14 NFL season, Andrew Luck took baby steps towards building a post-season legacy on which he will forever be judged.
As long as the new Mercedes runs effortlessly and continues to evolve, even with that old Chevy in Denver running like it’s fresh off the showroom floor, there is no doubt that Andrew Luck will eliminate any post-Peyton hangover in the Hoosier state.