Andrew Luck has been an absolute monster this season for the Indianapolis Colts and has proven all of his doubters and critics wrong. After missing the entire 2017 NFL season due to a shoulder injury suffered while snowboarding, Luck's offseason was a rough one. He heard questions and rumors about himself all offseason long, including some that stated that the injury could force him to end his career.
Despite all of the doubts that the media and fans had about him, Luck has bounced back stronger than ever. Not only is he able to throw a football again, he is able to throw it with the best of them.
Throughout the first 10 games of the season for the Colts, Luck has completed 67.3 percent of his pass attempts for 2,769 yards, 29 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He has also led his team to a 5-5 record, including four straight wins heading into Week 12 against the Miami Dolphins.
It has been a few years since the Colts were viewed as one of the contenders in the AFC. Since then, Chuck Pagano has been fired and Chris Ballard has focused on keeping Luck on his feet. Both moves seem to be paying off in a big way.
All of that being said, why should Luck be considered a legitimate MVP candidate this season?
3. Quite Simply, the Numbers
No player will ever contend for an MVP award without having a good season from a statistical standpoint. Luck has been great this season for the Colts.
His completion percentage is currently the highest that he has ever had in any season past. Turnovers have become something that happen, but for the most part are not a major concern, unlike they were a couple short years ago. Luck is also more than capable of throwing the football 40 times per game on a consistent basis.
Being able to shoulder the workload that he has had this season is impressive for any player, much less a guy coming off of a serious shoulder injury.
Luck may not have Patrick Mahomes or Drew Brees numbers, but he certainly is putting up a big season. Indianapolis also relies more heavily on Luck to create things for their offense with fewer weapons than those other two quarterbacks.
2. A Massive Comeback Story
Having a backstory like the one that Luck has can only help him when it comes to getting MVP consideration. From having an injury that some expect to ruin a career to coming back stronger than ever and being one of the best players in the league, Luck's story is unmatched.
Not only does Luck have a cool story and decent success, he has a cool story and he is more successful than he was before the injury.
Part of his success has had to do with Frank Reich's new system, but another big portion of it is because of the changes Luck has made. He isn't forcing the issue and he's allowing the game to come to him. That in and of itself is a huge step in the right direction for the Colts' star quarterback.
1. He Is the Most Valuable Player for His Team
Obviously, Mahomes, Brees, and Todd Gurley are being talked about as the main candidates for the MVP award this season. While those guys have had big seasons, they are not more “valuable” to their team than Luck.
The argument of value has been used over and over again to argue an MVP case. If the award was based off of which player was more valuable to their individual team, Luck would be the answer.
Kansas City has Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce to help with star power. New Orleans has Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, and a stacked defense. Los Angeles is the most stacked team in the NFL.
Luck has a decent roster around him in T.Y. Hilton and Marlon Mack. Outside of those two guys, however, they have a lot of holes on their roster.
The Closing Argument
When everything is said and done, it seems very unlikely that the Colts' quarterback will be named the MVP for this season. Even though he has a case for the award, there are simply other players ahead of him in the race.
Mahomes and Brees are without question the front-runners right now with Gurley right behind him. Luck could make it interesting, but it will take a lot of work to make that happen.
On the other hand, if Luck can continue at the pace he has been in over the last four wins and can lead the Colts to the playoffs, he will be making things even more difficult. Taking a Colts' team that no one gave a chance all the way to the playoffs would help make this a legitimate argument.
Expect to see the Colts continue fighting throughout the remainder of the season. Indianapolis is 5-5 on the season with games against the Dolphins, Jaguars, Cowboys, and Titans remaining. All of those games are winnable, which could get Indianapolis into the playoffs and Luck deeper into MVP consideration.
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