INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck spent last January just like the

previous two — watching playoff games from afar and hoping for a chance to return.This weekend he’s officially back.After a coaching change and a major roster overhaul and nearly two years removed from shoulder surgery http://www.coltsfanshop.com/Ben-Banogu-Jersey , the Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback celebrated New Year’s Day by prepping for Saturday’s wild-card game in his hometown of Houston.“I’m having fun and that’s the most important thing,” Luck said Tuesday. “The fact that we get to play another game in the playoffs, that’s stinking awesome and I think a small part of us understands how special it’s been so far. I’ve said this before, it’s been fulfilling. But satisfied? No, not at all.”At least not until he wins a championship.Until then, proving the doubters wrong must suffice.While some questioned whether Luck would ever be the same after missing the entire 2017 season to rehab from a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, many believed the injury would prevent him from fulfilling the championship expectations applied to the top overall pick in the 2012 draft and Peyton Manning’s hand-picked replacement.Now, after a three-year playoff drought, a healthier Luck seems to have the Colts back on track.He produced single-season career highs in almost every significant passing category this season and finished second in the NFL with 39 touchdown passes — one short of his total from 2014, when the Colts previously made the playoffs.Traditional stats reflect only part of Luck’s tale.He helped the Colts (10-6) rebound from an abysmal start by leading them to nine wins in their final 10 games. Indy became only the third team in league history to reach the postseason after going 1-5.And for the second time, Luck made the prognosticators look silly by taking a team that was lightly regarded by some to the playoffs. Those who were around for Luck’s first act, in 2012, haven’t forgotten how it felt then or how familiar it all seems now as he prepares for his fourth playoff appearance.“He’s doing a great job,” receiver T.Y. Hilton said. “He’s having fun, and after all the work he’s put into it, he’s looking good.”What Luck has done best this season is adapt to a continually evolving environment.First-year coach Frank Reich wanted Luck to get the ball out of his hands quicker and exploit the mismatches created by his cadre of tight ends. He’s done both.Luck also thrived behind a revamped offensive line, which regularly starts two rookies. He was sacked a league-low 18 times while running back Marlon Mack ran for more than 100 yards four times, providing Luck with the kind of balance team owner Jim Irsay long envisioned.Luck quickly acclimated to the rotating receivers, throwing TD passes to 13 different players. It could come in handy against the AFC South champion Texans (11-5), too.Hilton injured his ankle Dec. 8 and has spent more time getting treatment than practicing over the past three weeks. But he has yet to miss a game, continues to make big plays and is eager to return to Houston, where he already has four 100-yard games, including nine catches for 199 yards in the Colts’ previous visit.“That’s probably why it’s starting to feel better,” Hilton joked before sitting out Tuesday’s walkthrough.He’s not the only receiver battling injuries. Ryan Grant (ankle) and Zach Pascal (knee) both sat out Tuesday while Daurice Fountain (ankle) and Dontrelle Inman (shoulder/finger) did limited work.All of it could make Luck’s job more complicated Saturday.But with a more balanced attack, a rapidly improving defense and a chance to jump back on the postseason stage for the first time since “Deflategate Rock Ya-Sin Jersey ,” Luck embraces the opportunity to let everyone else see what he and his teammates can do.“It feels like we’ve been playing in the postseason for quite a while now, and I don’t think anybody’s approach will change in this locker room,” Luck said.“If you’ve played five, six, seven years in this league, you’ve overcome something. So there are a lot of folks who have overcome a lot. I was talking to my folks about this and it’s hard when you’re in the weeds to sort of flip the switch and zoom out and get a little different perspective and appreciate or understand what happens because if you’re in it, it’s like you’re on and you don’t want to get out of it.”NOTES: Indy signed defensive end Geneo Grissom and waived cornerback Jalen Collins on Tuesday. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Grissom played in 37 games over the past four seasons with New England. He has seven tackles in his career and was a third-round draft pick in 2015.100<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj Mehta We take a look at how our divisional opponents drafted" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesStampede Blue homepageHorizontal - WhiteStampede Bluean Indianapolis Colts communityFollow Stampede Blue online:Follow Stampede Blue on TwitterFollow Stampede Blue on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchStampede Blue main menuFanpostsFanshotsColtsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Colts StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Colts NewsYahoo Colts Team PageYahoo Colts ReportYahoo Colts Depth ChartYahoo Colts TransactionsYahoo Colts PhotosShop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Breaking NewsAndrew Luck Retires×2019 NFL Draft Roundup: Around the AFC SouthNew,17commentsWe take a look at how our divisional opponents draftedEDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:2019 NFL Draft Roundup: Around the AFC SouthTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesWith the 2019 NFL Draft in the books, it makes sense to take a look around the AFC South and see how the Colts’ divisional foes attacked their needs and the kinds of players they were able to land. I used our draft guide’s (did you know we had one of those?) team needs as well as our player evaluations in my analysis, because assigning draft grades at this point doesn’t mean all that much.Without further ado, here is a look at how the division drafted:TexansNeeds: OT, iOL, CB, RB, TEPhoto by Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesRound 1 - Pick 23: Tytus Howard Offensive Tackle, Alabama StateRound 2 - Pick 54: Lonnie Johnson Jr., Cornerback, KentuckyRound 2 - Pick 55: Max Scharping, Offensive Tackle, Northern IllinoisRound 3 - Pick 86: Kahale Warring, Tight End, San Diego StateRound 5 - Pick 161: Charles Omenihu, Defensive End, TexasRound 6 - Pick 195: Xavier Crawford https://www.coltsfanshop.com/Le_Raven-Clark-Jersey , Defensive Back, Central MichiganRound 7 - Pick 220: Cullen Gillaspia, Fullback, Texas A&MThe Texans desperately needed help along their offensive line heading into this draft. They have been unable to protect Deshaun Watson, and Colts fans know better than most how big a problem that can become if you keep rolling the dice and getting your quarterback hit. They attempted to address that by taking Tytus Howard with their first round pick and later selecting Max Scharping in the 2nd. These guys are nearly polar opposites, with Howard being a high upside raw athlete and Scharping being a high effort guy with athletic limitations. The consensus is mostly that they reached for Howard with better options on the board, but if they manage to develop him he could be a very good addition to a line that desperately needs it.They also took two defensive backs in this draft, Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Xavier Crawford. Johnson is a zone cover corner who possesses the athletic ability and size to be a quality part of the Texans defense. He struggles in press and can get turned around by proficient route runners, but he has the raw ability to be molded and grown as a player. Crawford is a small but quick corner who will give solid depth at the position but whose size may be an issue. Rounds 3 and 5 saw them take tight end Kahale Warring and defensive end Charles Omenihu. Personally, I really like Kahale Warring, but he seems like an odd pick for this team in particular. For one, he is a very raw player, with a limited football background. It seems as though a team with as much talent as they have would be looking for guys who can be difference makers right away, and Warring likely is not that. Omenihu is another interesting prospect. He is best suited to the interior defensive line as a 3-tech, and if that is where the Texans use him, he could be very successful as a disruptive force that takes advantage of the fact that offenses will have to deal with J.J. Watt and Clowney (maybe?) on the outside. They drafted fullback Cullen Gillaspia with pick 220, but that hardly addresses their need for talent at the running back position. Over all, this team needed to really knock this draft out of the park to stay on pace with the division, and I’m just not sure they did that. <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="z1A06d">TitansNeeds: Edge, TE, iDL, WR Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesRound 1 – Pick 19: DI Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi StateRound 2 – Pick 51: WR AJ Brown, Ole MissRound 3 – Pick 82: G Nate Davis, CharlotteRound 4 – Pick 116: S Amani Hooker Khari Willis Jersey , IowaRound 5 – Pick 168: Edge D’Andre Walker, GeorgiaRound 6 – Pick 188: LB David Long Jr., West VirginiaThe Titans seem like a team poised to take a big step forward in 2019. They have made a lot of solid moves this offseason, and this draft fits right in with that trend. With their first pick, they took defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. That pick could of course, blow up in their face, because his injury makes him a bit of an unknown, but I liked the pick. This is a player who would have been a top ten pick if not for his torn ACL in February. The Titans got him at 19, and I think they’ll be glad they did come 2020.At pick 51 the Titans grabbed wide receiver A.J. Brown to provide a well-rounded weapon in the passing game. Brown is a solid route runner with good hands and quickness to make plays after the catch. He has the kind of consistency that translates well to the next level and should be able to make an immediate impact in a receiver room that was already greatly improved with the addition of Adam Humphries.The selection of Nate Davis in the 3rd might have been a bit of a reach, but he will make for a good developmental player who will benefit from the strength and conditioning an NFL team can provide. If he can refine his technique and improve his strength he could be a solid get for the Titans and help bolster their offensive line. At pick 116, the Titans grabbed Amani Hooker to add to their already fairly talented defensive backs group. Hooker is a smart and versatile safety who could contribute as a nickel right away and grow into a role beyond that point. He has the kind of balls skills and instincts that will make him a great addition to the defense.Linebackers D’Andre Walker and David Long both look like good gets for the Titans as well, Walker more suited to a OLB/DE role and Long as a stubborn undersized cover linebacker. Time will tell how this draft has improved this team, but they addressed several areas of concern and seem far better as a team than they were. The question remains as to what this team can expect to accomplish with Marcus Mariota under center. <hr class="p-entry-hr" id="ASiaQp">JaguarsNeeds: OT, iOL, TE, RB, WRPhoto by Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesRound 1 – Pick 7: Edge Josh Allen, KentuckyRound 2 – Pick 35: OT Jawaan Taylor, FloridaRound 3 – Pick 69: TE Josh Oliver, San Jose StateRound 3 – Pick 98: LB Quincy Williams, Murray StateRound 5 – Pick 140: RB Ryquell Armstead, TempleRound 6 – Pick 178: QB Gardner Minshew, Washington StateRound 7 – Pick 235: DT Dontavius Russell, AuburnThe Jaguars are an odd case. They are a better team than they were in 2018, but probably not as good as they were in 2017. This draft was a bit of a mixed bag T.Y. Hilton Jersey , but honestly I’m not sure they needed a home run to be a much better team than they were last year.The selection of Josh Allen should immediately make this front seven the most horrifying group to face in the NFL. Seriously, good luck finding a defensive weakness. I am glad that is Frank Reich’s job, not mine, because it makes me a bit nauseous thinking about it. Jawaan Taylor was graded out as a first round talent at tackle and should be a very good addition to Jacksonville’s offensive line. Conditioning could be a concern with him, but if the Jaguars keep him in shape, they just got a lot better along their offensive line. While I really liked those first two picks, I am not a big fan of their selection of Josh Oliver. They opted to forego several better options like Jace Sternberger, Kahale Warring, and Dawson Knox, in favor of Oliver. Oliver has the potential to be a very good move tight end, but he is nowhere near ready to be a starting quality tight end, and Nick Foles really could have benefitted from having a player like Sternberger as a security blanket on an offense that is relatively toothless.The Jags then reached for linebacker Quincy Williams, brother of Quinnen Williams. Given the depth of that position group, bringing in a possible developmental player is not a huge deal, and this team has proven to be good at developing defensive talent, so while this probably was rich for him, who am I to question it?While this wasn’t necessarily a perfect draft, the Jaguars got better in several places. I still think they will struggle mightily to do much of anything on offense, given that they haven’t provided Nick Foles with much of anything in terms of offensive weapons. However, with a defense as good as theirs, they probably won’t have to do all that much anyway.