There is almost nothing that happens to the Indianapolis Colts that isnt a direct cause of, or has a direct effect on, Andrew Lu

There is almost nothing that happens to the Indianapolis Colts that isnt a direct cause of, or has a direct effect on, Andrew Luck. Federico Fazio Jersey . The third-year quarterback has more than lived up to the expectations left by his predecessor Peyton Manning and his early success is only raising the bar each season. Lucks 8,196 passing yards are the most for a quarterback through his first two NFL seasons and his 22 wins are second all-time behind another third-year quarterback, Seattles Russell Wilson. After bringing a two-win team to 11 wins in his first season and winning the AFC South in his sophomore year, is it third times a charm for Luck and the Colts in 2014? That is still to be determined. What can be said for sure is he is one year older and the conductor of what could be one of the leagues most dangerous wide receiver trios in 2014. At the tender age of 35, Reggie Wayne is ready to reclaim his place as the Colts No. 1 receiver just 10 and a half months after tearing his ACL. “I feel like I kind of left them hanging a little bit last year, so I want to be back out there with my teammates,” he said at the end of June. Wayne had one of his most prolific seasons in 2012 – Lucks rookie year – catching 106 passes for 1,355 yards, but managed just seven games last season due to the career-threatening injury. Its hard to believe Wayne will be in the physical shape he was as a ripe 24-year-old, but the happy and hungry six-time Pro Bowler believes he has some gas left in the tank. “This has probably been the healthiest Ive been probably since 02,” Wayne said. “One blessing I do take out of last year is maybe it was time for me to kind of let my body heal a little bit…and Ive done that.” But Wayne isnt the only veteran itching to return to form in blue and white. Six-year receiver Hakeem Nicks joined the Colts as an unrestricted free agent a week after hinting a desire to move to Indianapolis in March. “I would be dangerous with a quarterback like Andrew Luck," Nicks told ESPN.com. Nicks spent the first six years of his career with the New York Giants, collecting consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2010 and 2011 as well as catching 10 passes for 109 yards in the Giants Super Bowl XLVI triumph over the New England Patriots in February 2012. At 6-foot-1, Nicks will likely be most dangerous as a red zone target, where the Colts connected on just 56 per cent of their opportunities in 2013. Two seasoned receivers expected to attract a fair amount of attention from opposing defences will open doors for another third-year superstar, T.Y. Hilton. The more likely scenario for the electrifying Hilton is that he opens up space for the rest of the pass attack. “Weve got some new things that we want to do,” T.Y. Hilton told JMV on ESPN 1070 The Fan two weeks before the start of training camp. “Right now we are just getting everyone caught up to pace… we are going to be 100 miles per hour with the playbook.” Hilton has already racked up a stunning 10 100-yard receiving games in his first two seasons, tied for second most in NFL history. His 1,083 yards in 2013 were 475 more than the Colts next leading receiver, tight end Coby Fleener. Hiltons 82 receptions were also 30 more than Fleeners 52. The Miami native also established himself as a lethal deep threat last season with seven catches of more than thirty yards and three of 50 or more, including a 73-yard touchdown in Week 5 against the Seahawks. Like Luck, Hilton doesnt intend on slowing down. “It has been incredible,” Hilton said at his inaugural childrens football summer camp on July 12. “Im just enjoying the ride. Enjoying the moment. Thats what its all about, and Im still learning.” For the second half of the 2013 campaign – after Waynes season-ending injury – Luck was throwing to receivers with a grand total of zero 1,000-yard campaigns, including a sophomore Hilton. In 2014, should Hilton, Nicks and Wayne be in the starting lineup in the season opener on Sept. 7 against the Denver Broncos, Luck will begin his quest for footballs ultimate prize with 11 combined 1,000-yard seasons on the résumés of his top three wide receivers. Bombs away! GROUND AND POUND When the Colts traded away their 2014 first-round pick for Trent Richardson two games into last season, it can be safe to say they were hoping for the player who was once considered one of the NFLs top running back prospects in recent memory. They were hoping for the player who collected 950 yards and 11 touchdowns in his rookie season in 2012. What they got was a shadow of Richardsons potential. His 157 carries in 14 games in Indianapolis netted a measly 2.9 yards per carry and three touchdowns. By comparison, Luck ran for four touchdowns. "It was ambitious to think that he could come in -- What was it? -- Week 3 or 4 last year, and pick it up to hit the ground running,” Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton said during the teams off-season workouts in mid-July. “It was one of those situations where the defence knew when we put him in the game that more than likely we were running the football and they were packing the box. He was faced with some tremendously tough looks, but hell be better in 2014." Or so they hope. TIGHT SHIP In addition to an obviously talented group of wide receivers, the Colts have another offensive dimension in third-year tight ends Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener. Allen, who played 32 snaps last season before suffering a season-ending hip injury, is hoping to return to his rookie form where he caught 45 passes for 521 yards and a touchdown in 2012. The Colts, and tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts, see Allens return as a new beginning. “Getting him back is like getting a brand new player,” Roberts said, via the teams website on July 10. “His skillset allows us to protect it up, or throw it or run it when we see the advantage.” In Fleener, the Colts have a growing product that caught 52 passes for 608 yards and four touchdowns in his sophomore season. The is 6-foot-6, 244 lbs. Lemont, Illinois native doubled his receptions, yards and touchdowns over the first two years of his pro career and is poised to go even higher. OLD GUARD DOG Robert Mathis, a six-time Pro Bowler, is a beacon of consistency. The outside linebacker, and oldest member of the Colts defence, has missed 13 regular-season games since he first broke into the NFL in 2003. However, coming off one of the best seasons of his career in which he led the NFL with 19.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles, the 33-year-old will be forced to miss four more to start the 2014 season after using a fertility drug banned by the NFL due to its performance-enhancing properties. The Colts will have to make do without the heart and soul of their defence for four games, but the club certainly isnt concerned about Mathis when he returns. "He only knows one speed," Colts GM Ryan Grigson told the Indy Star in June. "Theres never any throttling back, no matter what. He always sets the tone and the precedent out there, how you do this, how you work, how you practice.” "Hes a guy who doesnt miss." Franco Armani Argentina Jersey . -- Blake Griffin scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds, DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 22 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers outlasted the Golden State Warriors 98-96 on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. Javier Mascherano Argentina Jersey . Pillar is batting .305 with 17 extra-base hits, 19 RBI and five stolen bases in 34 games for Buffalo this season. The right-handed hitter had an International League high, 18-game hitting streak this season and currently owns an IL high 26-game on base streak. http://www.argentinasoccerauthentic.com/Gonzalo-Higuain-Copa-America-Jersey/ . -- Raiders wide receiver Jacoby Ford made it through a third straight practice without any setbacks and expects to play in Oaklands regular-season finale against San Diego.NEW YORK -- Always fast on the field, Chris Johnson is looking to quickly prove his critics wrong. The New York Jets signed the former Titans running back Wednesday, a little over a week after he was officially released by Tennessee. Johnson met with the Jets all day Tuesday -- the first team he visited -- and stayed in town to watch the Knicks-Nets game in Brooklyn before signing Wednesday. The Jets announced the move, but didnt release terms. In a text message to The Associated Press, Johnson confirmed it was a two-year deal. "I have a fresh start," Johnson told The Tennessean. "Now I am going to go out there with a chip on my shoulder. I know a lot of people are doubting me." Johnson was told by the Titans of their decision April 4, ending a six-year stint in Tennessee during which he became one of the NFLs most exciting running backs. The former 2,000-yard rusher will team with Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell to give coach Rex Ryan and offensive co-ordinator Marty Mornhinweg a deep and dangerous backfield. The Jets also have Mike Goodson, who is dealing with legal issues and recovering from torn knee ligaments. "Ive always been a big fan of the Jets," Johnson told the teams website. "There was some thought into this, but just at the end of the day, I was comfortable here. I just felt like it was the right situation." While his days as a workhorse running back -- he carried the ball over 300 times in each of the 2009 and 2010 seasons -- might be over, Johnson could be the perfect complement to the bruising Ivory and versatile Powell. In Mornhinwegs first season as offensive co-ordinator, the Jets finished sixth in the league in rushing last year with Ivory and Powell sharing the load. Despite the solid production, New York still entered the off-season aiming to improve the position with a big-play runner. Thats exactly what theyre hoping to get in the speedy and durable Johnson, who turns 29 in September and is only the sixth player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons. "I see this as a team on the rise," Johnson told newyorkjets.com. "This is a winning team." But there have been questions about whether hell ever be the same player who rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009, whhen he earned his "CJ2K" nickname. Manuel Lanzini Jersey. Johnson finished with 1,077 yards -- the second-lowest total of his career -- and a career-worst 3.9-yard average last season. He also rushed for 100 or more yards just twice. The Jets held Johnson to just 21 yards on 15 carries in their 38-13 loss last season at Tennessee, but Johnson gouged them for 122 yards on 21 carries, including a career-best 94-yard touchdown run, in 2012. The splashy move is reminiscent of the one the Jets made in 2010, when they signed an aging LaDainian Tomlinson, who turned out to be a useful role player. While being deliberate throughout free agency, general manager John Idzik has now signed arguably the three best players available at their positions in Johnson, quarterback Michael Vick and wide receiver Eric Decker. New York also showed early interest in free agency in running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Donald Brown, but they signed elsewhere. The Titans cut ties with Johnson, making him a free agent, to avoid paying the $8 million he was due for this season, along with the final three seasons left on the $53.5 million contract he signed in September 2011. Johnson, who set several franchise and NFL records during his time in Tennessee, repeatedly said he wouldnt take a pay cut this off-season. That prompted the Titans to unsuccessfully explore trade options this off-season-- including with the Jets -- before releasing him. Johnsons exit appeared inevitable when Tennessee signed Dexter McCluster to a three-year deal and re-signed Leon Washington to join Shonn Greene in the backfield. "The Titans were ready to move on," Johnson said in his interview with The Tennessean. "They didnt want me anymore. But everything is going to work out." Johnson was the 24th overall pick in the 2008 draft out of East Carolina, and had never missed a game because of injury -- despite having surgery after the season to repair a torn meniscus that he played with most of the year. He has 7,965 career yards on 1,742 carries for a 4.6-yard average, including 50 touchdowns, and ranks third on Tennessees franchise rushing list behind Eddie George and Earl Campbell. Johnson also has caught 272 passes for 2,003 yards and eight TDs. ' ' '