Who's the NFL MVP? Many think Andrew Luck is the guy
Looking for an NFL Most Valuable Player favorite? You may not have to look far.
At NFL.com, four of six reporters on the Around the NFL staff have Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck as the pick.
From Chris Wesseling:
Aaron Rodgers has been the most valuable football player in the world since the 2010 playoffs. Is this the year he's dethroned? Luck was on pace to break Peyton Manning's single-season records for touchdowns and passing yards at midseason last year, only to watch Trent Richardson and an injury-ravaged Reggie Wayne sabotage his offense down the stretch. With the additions of Andre Johnson, Frank Gore and rookie speedster Phillip Dorsett, Luck will oversee the NFL's most explosive offense in 2015.
From Marc Sessler:
The Around The NFL gang nailed this MVP selection last year, so why not keep the good times rolling? While Aaron Rodgers owned 2014, the spoils this season go to Andrew Luck.
Already praised by his coaches and labeled a "football god" by veteran running back Frank Gore, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback has all the talent and tools around him to unleash a monster statistical season through the air on a team that will contend for Super Bowl 50.
Luck has all the physical traits you want in a pro passer. He's massive, mobile, seemingly impervious to punishment and lauded by his teachers and teammates as incredibly smart. He's also the type of player who makes those around him better. We don't often see quarterbacks develop at this rate, but Luck isn't even near his peak.
From Kevin Patra:
Overwhelmingly the NFL MVP goes to a quarterback on a playoff team with gaudy numbers. Luck is set to emphatically check the boxes in all three categories. With T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, Phillip Dorsett, Donte Moncrief, Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener in his arsenal, Luck should lead or be near the top in every passing statistic this season. While Aaron Rodgers remains the best player in football, Luck is set up to post massive numbers -- plus voters get bored of naming the same guy MVP. Luck has improved each season, is ready to leap into the statical stratosphere and cement himself as a top-three quarterback.
Football writers also love a narrative. The passing-of-the torch storyline from the Peyton Manning/Tom Brady/Drew Brees triumvirate to Luck will be too much for scribes to pass up on. They'll literally be drooling while casting their ballots for the Colts' signal-caller.
From Conor Orr:
Managing expectations is not easy, especially when your team is picked as a preseason favorite to make the Super Bowl, but Luck does so in incredible fashion. Buoyed by a breakthrough year from offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, Luck leads the league in touchdown passes with his new high-octane offense.
The others to receive votes were Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger.
• ESPN.com released its list of the NFL's top 100 players. ESPN emphasized that its list has nothing to do with MVP potential. It's simply about how good the players are. Luck is No. 12 on the list, receiver T.Y. Hilton No. 44 and cornerback Vontae Davis No. 71.
On Luck:
The exploits of another QB in his draft class tend to overshadow this fact: Luck took over a 1-15 team and has helped Indy churn out three consecutive 11-5 seasons. That's no small feat, regardless of context, but the Colts have just only two other players in our top 100. "This is who you start your franchise with if you can pick any player in the league for the next 10 years," said one voter. All Luck did in his age-25 season was throw for 4,761 yards and 40 TDs. Next up: a lot of money.
Add it up: Luck's 12,957 career passing yards are the most for any player in his first three NFL seasons.
On HIlton:
There were 12 wide receivers selected before the diminutive Hilton in the 2012 NFL draft, and only one (Kendall Wright) has more catches than Hilton's 212. The 5-foot-9 burner has 82 catches in each of his last two seasons, and even after drafting the speedy Phillip Dorsett to an already-deep group of pass-catchers in the first round of the 2015 draft -- a move many assumed signaled Hilton's next contract would be elsewhere -- the Colts locked up Hilton to a five-year, $65 million deal in August.
Add it up: Since 2012, Hilton has converted 46 percent of third-and-10-or-longer targets from Andrew Luck into first downs. That's the best conversion rate among any QB-WR combination over that span.
On Davis:
Indy paid a steep price to pry Davis from Miami in 2012, but he has proved to be worth it. He's been one of the best cornerbacks in the league over the past three seasons, culminating in a Pro Bowl invite after 2014. "He's a unique combination of a corner," said one panelist, "because he can win in off-man coverage but also smother you at the line of scrimmage."
Add it up: Davis' 12 pass breakups last year tied for fourth in the league.
Also on the list: Bishop Chatard High School's Zack Martin, a second-year offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys, is No. 57.
In the NFL.com top-100 list over the summer, Luck as seventh, Hilton 35th, Davis 59th and place-kicker Adam Vinatieri 98th.
• Mike Ferguson at This Given Sunday notes that, if the Colts win the Super Bowl, Luck would be the fourth fourth-year QB to do so.
• Grading last week: Bucky Brooks at NFL.com picks a player from each team to evaluate from Week 3 of the preseason. One of his favorites is the quarterback the Indianapolis Colts will face in Week 1, Buffalo's Tyrod Taylor. Brooks gives Taylor an A.
Strengths: Taylor continues to torment defenses with his athleticism, mobility and improvisational skills. The fifth-year pro is like a magician in the pocket, escaping the clutches of pass rushers with slick moves and electric cuts in traffic, as evidenced by his 20-yard touchdown run against the Steelers on Saturday. Taylor routinely creates big plays with his impromptu scrambles -- and yet, he's shown the poise and patience to pick apart coverage with timely throws delivered on target on the perimeter. It's little wonder the Bills will be going with him as their starter when the regular season commences.
Weaknesses: Despite Taylor's sensational work throughout the preseason, he remains an inexperienced player at the position (zero regular-season starts in four seasons with the Ravens). He is still learning how to manage the game as the offensive leader. From making the proper calls against the blitz to exhibiting sound judgment in key situations, Taylor needs to continue to grow as a quarterback by learning through each experience.
What he needs to work on: Taylor has earned the respect of his coaches by putting together solid performances on the field, but he needs to assume the leadership duties for the squad by setting a strong example in the locker room. From his study habits in the film room to taking a more vocal role in the huddle, Taylor needs to step up his approach as the starter. If he can continue to work diligently in those areas, he could strengthen his hold on the starting job going forward.
Brooks also examines Colts rookie defensive lineman Henry Anderson, who gets a B.
Strengths: Anderson is an energetic defender with a game built on strength and power at the point of attack. The rookie outworks blockers with his relentless spirit while also flashing enough athleticism and agility to slip through cracks along the line. He frequently created penetration against the Rams' offensive line Saturday, exhibiting awareness and instincts with his quick diagnosis of the blocking scheme. Anderson also displayed impressive versatility by logging a few snaps at defensive tackle following Art Jones' injury.
Weaknesses: Anderson is a limited pass-rushing threat. Although he possesses the size and length to wear blockers out with a variety of hand-to-hand combat sequences, the third-round pick hasn't learned how to put together effective combinations to win consistently on passing downs.
What he needs to work on: Anderson is the kind of blue-collar defender every defense needs along the line. He works with great effort and tenacity at the point of attack, resulting in disruptive plays in the backfield. Anderson needs to continue to improve his hand skills in Week 4 to become a more effective pass rusher against stout offensive tackles.
• Former Colts running back Trent Richardson was cut by the Oakland Raiders on Monday. ESPN's Ryan Clark on Tuesday called him "the worst running back of all time":