Film Breakdown: What can Luck do to reduce his interceptions?

Andrew Luck has a turnover problem.

There is no denying it. In the last two seasons, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback has thrown 32 interceptions and fumbled 16 times (losing seven) in 26 games (including the playoffs).

While it may not be as crippling an issue as many make it out to be, it's still one of the biggest factors that's stopped Luck from truly ascending to the league's elite.

In order to find out what exactly the 26-year-old needs to do to reduce his interceptions, we reviewed every pick Luck has thrown over the past two seasons.

Improve vision of underneath coverage

During the 2012 NFL Draft process, Luck was endlessly compared to the man he'd succeed in Indianapolis: Peyton Manning.

Maybe this is where the notion that Luck is a cerebral assassin in the pocket in the same mold as Manning came from. In reality, however, Luck is much more of a gunslinger than Manning ever was.

That mentality is part of the reason he's had an issue with turnovers during his career, and the misconception about his skill set is likely why he's received so much criticism for it.

Luck's field vision is solid the majority of the time, but a recurring theme with his interceptions is his inability to read underneath coverage.

Week 7 vs. New Orleans Saints - 2015 season

Luck signals his intent from the outset of the play. He fails to look off the Saints' middle linebacker, Stephone Anthony (circled yellow), which would've allowed the space for T.Y. Hilton running the slant route in Anthony's direction.

The pressure does appear to get to Luck, as he fails to throw from a set base. This affects the accuracy of the throw, but even if Luck had thrown a perfect ball, Anthony was in position to make the play after reading Luck's eyes.

Luck locked onto his receiver, failing to recognize that the underneath coverage was set up to take that option away.

Week 4 vs. Tennessee Titans - 2014 season

In an almost identical play, Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard (circled yellow) takes a diagonal drop to his left underneath receiver Hakeem Nicks' out-breaking route.

Luck's eyes let him down, again. He stares down Nicks, allowing Woodyard to follow his vision and flip his hips to get in position to make a play on the ball.

Luck fails to recognize that Woodyard has undercut the route and makes an ill-advised throw.

For a player of his mental acumen, Luck simply cannot signal his first read so blatantly, while failing to recognize the movements of the underneath defenders.

Take the easy option

This issue is just as much on the Colts, as it is on Luck. Their offense asks more of Luck than most quarterbacks and offers him few easy completions or checkdown options.

More often that not, you'll see the Colts' receivers running deep, long-developing routes that require Luck to hold in the pocket without adequate protection.

This appears to have driven in a mindset in Luck that makes him look for the killer pass every time, regardless of what the defense is showing him or if a smarter option is available.

Week 5 vs. Baltimore Ravens - 2014 season

Late in the first quarter against the Ravens, the Colts faced a 2nd-and-14 on their own 35. They're clearly looking for a deep shot, with tight end Dwayne Allen running a go route at the bottom of the shot and Nicks running a post-corner route (fake an in cut at 15 yards, break back out to the sideline) at the top.

Nicks is clearly the first read (circled blue) and Luck doesn't move off him even when he's faced by pressure in his face by a delayed blitz (circled yellow). Reggie Wayne (circled red) is running a shallow crossing route that's being opened up by Hilton running the same route deeper downfield. However, Luck's eyes never move off the kill shot deep to Nicks.

Despite being in potential field-goal range and with an easy checkdown option, Luck stands and takes a shot. He's unable to get the pass off on time, the ball is propelled directly upwards as Luck falls backwards and is intercepted by defensive tackle Haloti Ngata.

Know when a play is over

Luck simply doesn't know when to quit. It's usually his biggest strength, as he's able to make plays that few quarterbacks can, but it's sometimes a fatal flaw.

Luck's "all on me, make a play in the last nanosecond" mentality caught up to him last season, as the hits he took finally began to show and he was ultimately sidelined for the rest of the campaign.

While asking Luck to reel in his aggressive play would undermine what makes him great, he must have a better understanding of when a play is truly dead.

Week 3 vs. Tennessee Titans - 2015 season

This is just one example of Luck's many attempts to make a play when there was simply nothing to gain.

Luck faces immediate pressure up front, as the interior and left side of the defensive line (circled yellow) fake outside shoulder rushes before dipping inside, forcing the quarterback to roll out to his right.

Once on the outside, only Hilton breaking to the corner is an option; but not a good one. Hilton's man is running step for step with him and a linebacker has dropped underneath his route.

However, with a defender right in his face, Luck still decides to loft a jump ball towards the 5-foot-9 Hilton, who has four defenders in his vicinity. Again, the underneath defender is an issue here, but the more noteworthy problem is that this is a ball that should never be thrown.

Luck needs to learn when it's best to take a sack, throw the ball away, or simply just get down and away from harm.

Conclusion

Luck's 2015 campaign was marred by injury. With no one outside the Colts certain how much he was affected by his ailments before he was lost for the season, it's hard to judge if his turnover rate that year (12 picks in seven games) is indicative of some regression in his play or a product of his poor health.

Moving forward under the assumption that Luck will return to form in 2016, the changes needed to reduce his turnovers aren't dramatic.

The Colts can help by centering more of the offense around the short passing game and developing better pass protection schemes. But Luck must eliminate the type of mistakes that a young passer can get away with, but not one entering his fifth season and who's set to be the highest-paid player in the league.