Giant dose of Luck

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Indianapolis Colts weren’t going to have a hangover from last week’s defeat.

Andrew Luck wouldn’t allow it.

Luck threw for four touchdowns and the Colts’ defense kept Eli Manning and the Giants off balance Monday night in Indianapolis’ 40-24 romp.

With his franchise-record seventh consecutive 300-yard game, Luck led the Colts to a lopsided win one week after a 51-34 loss to Pittsburgh. Unlike the way Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger toyed with their defense in that game, the Colts didn’t let Manning get going in handing New York its third straight defeat.

Luck hit Coby Fleener for a 32-yard touchdown in the first half. He had scoring throws of 31 yards to T.Y. Hilton, 40 yards to Reggie Wayne and 2 yards to Dwayne Allen in the third period.

It is the eighth time this season that Luck has thrown for more than 300 yards and the 17th time in his three pro seasons. He was 25 of 46 for 354 yards.

Wayne surpassed James Lofton for career yards receiving and has 14,070 in his 14-season career.

Giants first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr. had 156 yards on eight receptions, by far his best game. Manning threw for 359 yards and two TDs, but most of that came with the game decided.

New York was plagued by drops by its receivers, an inability to sustain a ground game, and enough pressure on Manning to force long or high throws that had no chance to be caught.

Indy led 16-3 at the half thanks to Fleener’s TD and field goals of 48, 31 and 48 yards by Adam Vinatieri, who added a 43-yarder in the fourth quarter and is perfect on 20 tries this year.

The Colts held the Giants to 143 yards in the opening half, and then staged an 84-yard drive to Hilton’s TD on the first series of the third quarter.

New York matched that to finally get into the end zone. Beckham got loose for a 59-yard gain on a pass from Manning, and then Andre Williams broke two tackles for a 24-yard reception. It was 23-10 when Williams surged in from the 1.

Luck simply picked New York apart on the next series to go over 300 yards in the air once again. He beat a blitz to hit former Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw for 22 yards, did the same to hit Fleener for 11 on third down, and then connected with Wayne on a 40-yard play down the left sideline.

Rookie Jonathan Newsome’s sack of Manning three plays later knocked the ball loose and safety Sergio Brown returned it 28 yards to the Giants 4. Luck got his fourth TD pass on a 2-yarder to an uncovered Allen.

That score sent many of the fans to the exits, about the only satisfaction they received being a halftime ceremony when former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan received his Hall of Fame ring.