Andrew Luck became an American Idol of these NFL playoffs, a black-bearded young Captain Comeback, when he carried a team and a city on his shoulders and landed the Colts in the winner’s circle with an epic wild-card performance against all odds and against Andy Reid’s Chiefs.
As a reward for starring in this fairy tale, Luck gets Bill Belichick and Tom Brady Saturday night in Foxborough.
The same Belichick and Brady who tormented a young Peyton Manning at a time when he was accustomed to tormenting everyone else.
The same Belichick and Brady who have been chasing a fourth Super Bowl ring together for a decade now.
Which means they are more hungry and desperate than they have ever been, especially Brady, who would have five rings if not for Eli Manning and the Giants, and who is 36 years old all of a sudden.
Or you can look at it another way:
The aura of invincibility has been stripped from Brady and Belichick, no longer the Killer Bs.
Hell, I saw Mark Sanchez go into Gillette Stadium and come out with a berth in the 2010 AFC Championship Game.
I saw Joe Flacco go into Gillette Stadium only last January and come out with the AFC championship.
So don’t tell me Andrew Luck can’t. Don’t tell me the Luck stops here. Don’t tell me he can’t carry the banner for Jets fans who can only wish he belonged to them, who will be rooting for Luck to slay the two-headed dragon for them now.
Sometimes it is better to be Lucky than good, right?
Last I checked, Aaron Hernandez won’t be available to help Brady, and neither will Rob Gronkowski. Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo won’t be available to help Belichick.
That the Patriots remain a clear and present danger is a testament to the relentless greatness of Belichick and Brady.
Hell, they’ve made it this far without even needing the services of Tim Tebow.
Luck better understand if he falters early, if he falls behind 38-10 to Belichick and Brady, fuggedabout counting on your vast reservoir of resiliency and pluck to see you through.
Of course he does: his maiden voyage as a rookie a year ago against Belichick wound up 27 of 50 passes, 334 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions in a 59-24 humbling in Foxborough.
Barring an intrusion from Mother Nature, Luck should brace himself for another shootout, because if Alex Smith can throw for 378 yards and four touchdowns against the Colts secondary, what might Brady do?
Luck’s task is complicated by not having his go-to receiver, Reggie Wayne, which means Belichick can turn his attention to T.Y. Hilton and make sure he doesn’t have another 13-catch, 224-yard, two-touchdown performance.
But we have come to know this much about Mr. Luck: The game won’t be too big for him, because no game is. He is one of those rare ones who makes everyone around him better. And because of his will to win, his defiant refusal to lose that belies his aw shucks, good guy demeanor, his teammates believe. His city believes.
I asked him over the phone during his rookie training camp what drives him, and he said: “1) Not wanting to let your teammates down is a big one … performing for them. And 2) Being competitive … wanting to win.”
He never tried to follow in Manning’s giant footsteps, just tried to be himself. And it sure is looking like that will be more than enough.
Lucky Indianapolis. Lucky Colts. He can beat you with his arm, his legs, his brain. Manning’s first playoff win came in his fourth playoff game, in his sixth season. Luck goes for his second playoff win in his second season.
It very well may be the kid picked the wrong time and the wrong place to confront Belichick and Brady. No one should be shocked if Belichick and Brady picked the wrong time and the wrong place to confront the wrong quarterback.