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 Compared to Manning from the moment the Colts selected him with
the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft, Luck quieted the
debate as he outdueled the five-time National Football League most
valuable player in front of a stunned crowd in the Mile High City.
Manning built a Hall of Fame career in Indianapolis, rewriting the
quarterbacking record book and taking the Colts to a Super Bowl
before moving onto Denver in 2012 when the Colts decided their
future belonged with the young Luck.
Luck proved on Sunday the move was the right one, completing 27
passes for 265 yards including touchdowns to Dwayne Allen and Hakeem
Nicks.
But he would not be drawn into renewing the debate over the two
quarterbacks, refusing after the game to compare his performance to
Manning's in the divisional playoff and preferred to focus on the
Colts own high expectations.
"I'm not going to compare," Luck told reporters. "There are high
expectations, I remember the first day I walked into the building,
it is a winning franchise, it seems to be in the DNA of the Colts
you got to win.
 "It's good for us to be here, now there is more work to do but there
are definitely high expectations the moment any of us walk through
that door.
Manning, trying to get his team back to the Super Bowl after they
were humiliated last year by the Seattle Seahawks, tossed for one
touchdown and walked off the field amid speculation about his
future.
If there is one cloud hanging over the 38-year-old's brilliant
career it is that despite all the individual honors and awards, his
Hall of Fame resume includes just one Super Bowl win in three trips
to the championship game.
While Luck did not have an opinion on Manning's performance, the
Denver quarterback was more than ready to critique his effort.
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"Not well, not good enough, didn't play well enough," said Manning.
"I give them a lot of credit, their defense played well.
"I could have played better."
The Broncos stormed out of the gate, Manning hitting Demaryius
Thomas with a one-yard strike to turn their opening possession into
a 7-0 lead.
But Indianapolis would answer with a pair of impressive drives,
Daniel Herron diving over from the six to complete a 73- yard drive.
The Colts then turned a Manning fumble near mid-field into another
score with Luck finding Allen with a three- yard touchdown pass.
Connor Barth booted a 45-yard field goal before the end of the half
to trim the Indianapolis lead to 14-10 but the Colts quickly
regained control after the break as Luck connected with Nicks for a
15-yard touchdown.
The teams traded fourth-quarter field goals to close out the
scoring.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto, Editing by Gene Cherry)
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