It sounds like Indianapolis Colts fans won't be able to explain away quarterback Andrew Luck's poor performances as just a product of a number of mounting ailments anymore, after a Wednesday report from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicated that Luck, heading into a matchup with the Denver Broncos this weekend, is finally "fully healthy."
Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported last week that Luck had been playing with "multiple fractured ribs," while Luck also reportedly dealt with a partially separated shoulder earlier in the season.
Put all the injury woes together and it seemed to make sense then why one of the NFL's most talented young passers had suddenly gone from elite to abominable, seemingly overnight. After the Colts' frustrating loss to the still-undefeated Carolina Panthers on Monday night, Luck's stats for the season have officially become atrocious - he's tossed 141 completions on 257 attempts for 1,629 yards, 13 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and three fumbles. That's just a completion percentage of 54.9 and a quarterback rating of 71.6.
If the Luck that completed just 48.9 percent of his passes for 231 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions against the Panthers is the healthy version, then the Colts will need to do more than just swap out Pep Hamilton for Rob Chudzinski if they're to save this season and head coach Chuck Pagano's hide.
Whatever is ailing Luck seems to go well beyond the physical. He's double, triple, quadruple clutching the ball and failing to see open receives that, just last season, he would have hit on a dime.
Sure, the Colts offensive line woes have certainly played a part and it's something that GM Ryan Grigson will have to rectify and fast in the offseason. But if Luck is healthy and still playing the way he did in Carolina, then there are more issues ahead for the Indianapolis franchise.
