Is Andrew Luck Good Or Is The Colts Defense Simply That BAD?

Some interesting insights from ESPN's Paul Kuharsky and the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel's Reggie Hayes. First Kuharsky:

I spent three and a half days with the Jaguars last week and found it hard to judge the offense , which looked bad, because of the talent on the team’s defense. It may be the opposite here – it may be hard to judge the offense, which looks good, because of the lack of talent on the team’s defense -- especially at corner. Justin King, who’s been running with the ones, has a hip flexor and missed his third day.

Hayes:

Playing against each other doesn't provide too much insight into progress. This is true of all teams, of course, but observers can't help but wonder if Luck's great play at times is solely because of him or because the defense is suspect. Plus, until the Colts go up against an opponent (first preseason game is this Sunday vs. St. Louis), it's impossible to tell how Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis have adjusted to the new defense. Mathis did pick off a pass in a scrimmage Sunday, so maybe he's starting to change his game a bit.

It's an interesting question. Does Luck look so good because the corners he's throwing against are lunch meat, or is he just that polished and that talented this early in the process?

We'll have a better idea once preseason starts, but the fact that two smart, seasoned reporters are asking this question says more about the Colts defense than it does about Luck. Luck's accuracy and talent were on display at Stanford for two years. This is when he went No. 1 overall. The Colts defense is a mixed bucket of reject players, especially in the secondary.

While I like the fact that Ryan Grigson signed them, the fact of the matter is that Justin King, Korey Lindsey, and Tom Zbikowki are on this roster because the teams that let them go didn't think much of them.

Cassius Vaughn was traded for a fullback, and D.J. Johnson was traded for an undrafted defensive lineman who didn't have much of a shot in Indy's new 3-4 front.

Spare parts players.

The woes of the secondary are something we plan to track and monitor all preseason. While King (when he's healthy) seems to have locked down the starting corner spot opposite Powers, he hasn't exactly been wowing coaches. Nor has Vaughn. Brandon King made some nice plays on Sunday, but consistently only Powers has stood out.

Like with Luck, we'll get a better sense of how the secondary has progressed when preseason starts. Unlike Luck, they haven't been consistent at training camp.