Showing his true skills, Vinatieri later nailed a 54

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — 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 Womens Malik Hooker Jersey , a major roster overhaul and nearly two years removed from shoulder surgery, 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 ever 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) Andrew Luck Jersey , 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”, 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. On a night when he reached 500 career touchdown passes, Tom Brady welcomed back a buddy with one of his three scoring tosses Thursday, then connected with a newcomer who could help him reach more milestones.Brady also sneaked in for a rushing touchdown and the New England Patriots put together their second straight win after a mediocre start to the season, beating Indianapolis 38-24.Brady's 500th went to Josh Gordon, recently acquired from Cleveland, where he basically was unavailable through NFL suspensions for all but five games over the past three seasons. But, as he often does Womens Darius Leonard Jersey , Brady spread the wealth, hitting running back James White 10 times for 77 yards, and greeting the return of buddy Julian Edelman by completing seven for 57 yards to him."We wanted to get him the ball and he made some great plays," Brady said about Edelman. "Just good to have him out there. We all want it to be perfect when we go out and it was great to have him out there ... healthy and having fun."As for 500 TD passes, third on the career list behind Peyton Manning (539) and Brett Favre (508), Brady called it a collective mark."I think all these things like that, milestones, there are so many people that contribute, all the people that have really worked hard," he said. "A quarterback doesn't throw to himself."These are all great team awards, pretty cool."The five-time NFL champion also tied Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, a former teammate, for most victories with 226. Brady finished 34 for 44 for 341 yards.As everyone in Gillette Stadium except, apparently, the Colts knew, Brady started off with a pass to Edelman, who was wide open for 9 yards. That drew the first of many loud cheers for the 10th-year veteran receiver in his first game since the 2017 preseason, when he tore up a knee. Edelman was suspended for the first four games this year for violating the NFL's policy on performance enhancers."During the rehab you are just sitting there and waiting to get back on the field Peyton Manning Jersey White ," Edelman said. "It felt great to be out there with the guys."That was the first of three receptions for 28 yards for Edelman on the opening 75-yard touchdown drive Brady capped with a 1-yard toss to Cordarrelle Patterson .From there, even though the Colts (1-4) had a drive deep into New England (3-2) territory, usually reliable Adam Vinatieri missed a 38-yard field goal.Nothing was going right for Indianapolis, particularly after Brady led a 72-yard march to his sneak from the 1. Then he took the Patriots 68 yards near the end of the half and hit workhorse White for a 6-yard score to lead 21-3.Under pressure, Andrew Luck threw a poor pass that Patrick Chung intercepted at midfield, and Stephen Gostkowski made a 45-yard field goal for a 24-3 halftime lead.Luck did extend his string of games with a touchdown pass by hitting Eric Ebron on a 14-yarder in the third quarter. Showing a strong arm all night — remember, Luck missed all of 2017 with shoulder issues — he has a TD throw in 28 successive games, tops of any current quarterback."We're not going to win consistently until we learn how to get out of our own way," Luck said. "That's not taking anything away from New England. They were the better team today. Anybody who watched it or played in it knows it. It was self-evident."But we're going to have to learn how not to lose if we want to give ourselves a chance to win."After Matthias Farley's interception of a pass bobbled by Chris Hogan, Indy could do nothing. Rookie Jordan Wilkins had the ball stripped from his hands by Devin McCourty four players later.But a second pick of Brady that was not his fault — Rob Gronkowski had the ball stolen and Najee Goode wound up with it — helped the Colts get back into it for a short time.Looking like vintage Luck, he brought his team 80 yards, including a pair of big third-down throws to Ebron, and Eric Swoope caught a 13-yard scoring pass to make it 24-17.That's when everyone saw vintage Brady as he hit the half-century mark for TD throws by connecting with newcomer Gordon for 34 yards, the 71st player to catch a touchdown pass from Brady, an NFL mark."A great play Josh made jumping over two defenders," Brady said. "It tells you kind of the confidence I have in him in a short period of time. Obviously he has earned it."KICKING ITVinatieri, whose leg helped New England win three Super Bowls, hit the left upright with his 673rd career field goal attempt Womens Andrew Luck Jersey , the second most in NFL history. He already holds the mark for most field goals made and is closing in on Hall of Famer Morten Andersen's points record, but was victimized by a high snap on the first-quarter miss.Showing his true skills, Vinatieri later nailed a 54-yarder with plenty to spare.PRODUCTIVE BACKFIELDIn addition to White's receptions, rookie Sony Michel had 98 yards rushing on 18 carries, including the final New England score, a 34-yard burst down the sideline in the final period.UNDERMANNEDThe Colts were severely depleted, missing five starters, including their best receiver. T.Y. Hilton was out with chest and hamstring injuries. Tight end Jack Doyle (hip), running back Marlon Mack (hamstring), tackle Denzelle Good (personal matter) and cornerback Kenny Moore II (concussion) also were sidelined. They lost five more players during the game.DEFLATED FEELINGNot much was made of the "Deflategate" saga, even though this was Indy's first trip to Gillette Stadium since getting routed in the 2014 AFC title game. That loss led to an NFL investigation of alleged underinflated footballs, and eventually to a four-game suspension for Brady, which he sat out in 2016.UP NEXTColts: at New York Jets on Oct. 14.Patriots: host Kansas City on Oct. 14.