Cover / Artwork » When Andrew Luck gazes over Cincinnati’s defense

Sunday Johnathan Abram Jersey , he’ll see some of the league’s top pass rushers.Defensive tackle Geno Atkins often gets the interior push. Michael Johnson, Carlos Dunlap and Carl Lawson routinely bring the outside pressure.So with Luck making his first start in more than 20 months, the Cincinnati Bengals hope to make life miserable as the Colts‘ quarterback re-acclimates himself to regular-season life in the NFL.“My biggest concern, they have a really good front seven,” Luck said. “It’s always a tough defense. Geno Atkins is a heck of a player, (Carlos) Dunlap on the edge, got guys that can cover. So it’s always a challenge.”Circumstances could make this season opener even more challenging for Indy.Longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo missed the entire preseason with a hamstring injury and was limited in practice earlier this week. Denzelle Good, who appeared to be the favorite at right tackle, hasn’t played since hurting his left knee in the third preseason game.Then there’s rookie left guard Quenton Nelson, the No. 6 pick. He’s likely to draw the assignment on Atkins, and there’s no assurance second-year running back Marlon Mack will return from a hamstring injury that has kept him off the field since the preseason opener. If Mack can’t play, rookies Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines may be asked to help protect Luck, one of the league’s highest-paid players.No, it’s not an ideal start for a quarterback who missed the 2017 season while recovering from surgery on his throwing shoulder.But the Colts may not have a choice.“We will do everything we can do to neutralize the pass rush — no matter what five guys are up front http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-trayvon-mullen-jersey ,” new coach Frank Reich said. “And that will be No. 1 on the pass game agenda each week: How do you protect the passer?”The Bengals, who have lost eight straight in Indy, have other concerns.They’re expecting to face a crowd eager to welcome back Luck and capable of making enough noise to slow down the pass rushers.“I think everybody there is going to be excited,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. “We know the kind of player that he is. I guess if you’re going to play Andrew Luck, you’d rather be playing him now than Week 12.”NEW STRIPESThe Bengals debut their redesigned offense under coordinator Bill Lazor after giving a few previews during the preseason. They made more of an effort to get big plays, something missing last season. Andy Dalton looked comfortable with the new playbook in his limited preseason time, completing 71 percent of his passes with four touchdowns, one interception — the receiver fell on his route — and a passer rating of 130.9.“I feel real comfortable with the way I played,” Dalton said.DOUBLE DOSELast year, in Philadelphia, Reich took advantage of a plethora of solid tight ends. Expect more of the same this season in Indy.The Colts signed free agent Eric Ebron, Detroit’s first-round pick in 2014, to help stretch the field as Pro Bowler Jack Doyle continues to exploit the middle. Indy also has former basketball player Eric Swoope and Ryan Hewitt, a former Bengal Maxx Crosby Jersey , on the roster. All four could play Sunday.NEW O-LINEThe offensive line was the biggest issue in Cincinnati’s offense finishing last in the league in 2017. That unit has been overhauled, leaving only one returning starter, left guard Clint Boling.It’ll be the first time that left tackle Cordy Glenn, rookie center Billy Price, right guard Alex Redmond and right tackle Bobby Hart play together in a regular-season game.RECORD WATCHAdam Vinatieri’s 23rd NFL season could be the most remarkable of his career.The four-time Super Bowl champion needs seven field goals to break Morten Andersen’s record (565), five field goals from the 40-49-yard range to take over the top spot from Gary Anderson and 58 points to break Andersen’s mark of 2,544.How has he done it? By keeping things in perspective.“You definitely want to start off on the right note,” he said. “We know how important it is, we know how much our owner wants to win this first game. We know how important it is to win at home in front of our home crowd, all the above.”NO BURFICTFor the fourth straight season, the Bengals will be without linebacker Vontaze Burfict at the outset.He missed the first six games of 2015 while recovering from a knee injury and has been suspended for the start of each of the past three.This time, Burfict will miss the first four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The only question about Tom Brady as quarterback in New England is when Father Time finally wins before the five-time Super Bowl champ decides he’s done with the NFL.Same for Drew Brees in New Orleans or Philip Rivers with the Chargers.Aaron Rodgers is expected back at his usual level returning from injury for Green Bay, and Deshaun Watson tantalized before his own injury cut short a very promising rookie season. Even though it’s been a while since Andrew Luck threw a pass in an NFL game Hakeem Butler Jersey , his resume gives him plenty of cushion as he recovers from shoulder surgery.Not every quarterback has the same grip on a starting job as Brady, Brees or Rodgers, and a poor game or sloppy start can lead to a spot on the bench. Add a promising rookie into the mix, the leash can be even shorter.Here’s a look at some quarterbacks who need to play well to remain starters as training camps open around the league:JAMEIS WINSTON, BUCCANEERSYes, Marcus Mariota must prove he can play all 16 games in a season, but the Tennessee Titans already have picked up Mariota’s fifth-year option for 2019. Same for Tampa Bay for Jameis Winston, the quarterback taken a spot ahead of Mariota in 2015. Both are due $20.9 million in 2019 at what could be a bargain the way the market is booming for quarterbacks.On the other hand, Winston will miss the first three games this season with the quarterback suspended for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy after a league investigation of an accusation that the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner groped a female Uber driver during a ride in Arizona in March 2016. That’s not a great combination when Bucs coach Dirk Koetter’s job security already is at risk after a 5-11 record last season. Tampa Bay brought back veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who started three games in Winston’s place last season, for an experienced backup.JIMMY GAROPPOLO, 49ERSJimmy G could do no wrong for the 49ers last season, winning five straight games after finally moving into the starting lineup. San Francisco wasted little time signing the young quarterback to a five-year contract worth $137.5 million at an average of $27.5 million per season. The 49ers also re-signed receiver Marquise Goodwin to keep a top target around.As good as Garoppolo looked, there’s now plenty of game tape of him running coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Defensive coordinators Chris Lindstrom Jersey , especially those in the NFC West, have had all offseason to figure out how to slow down Garoppolo.TYROD TAYLOR, BROWNSHelping the Bills stop a seemingly endless playoff drought wasn’t enough to keep Taylor on the job in Buffalo. The Cleveland Browns traded for Taylor on the eve of free agency, and that’s normally a sure sign a team is heavily invested in a player. Then the Browns went quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, selecting Baker Mayfield. Keeping Mayfield on the bench depends mostly on how long Taylor plays well.JOE FLACCO, RAVENSThe 10-year veteran has missed a mere six games since being drafted by Baltimore in 2008, all in 2015, and led the Ravens to a Super Bowl in 2012. But the Ravens last reached the playoffs in 2014, and general manager Ozzie Newsome made sure to give himself options in his final year in charge. Not Robert Griffin III, who last started a game in 2016 with Cleveland.Newsome traded to get the final pick of the first round in April to select Lamar Jackson . Yes, the Ravens insist they want to develop Jackson and be patient. If Flacco struggles, Jackson, who threw 57 touchdown passes over the past two seasons in college at Louisville and won a Heisman Trophy, could start looking really good much sooner.CASE KEENUM http://www.atlantafalconsteamonline.com/kaleb-mcgary-jersey , BRONCOSComing off the bench and leading Minnesota to the NFC championship game is one thing. Playing quarterback under the watchful eye of Hall of Famer John Elway in Denver is quite a different challenge. Keenum comes in as the starter after the best season of his career . He’ll need to pick up where he left off to stop the Broncos’ quarterback carousel , with backup Paxton Lynch, the 26th pick overall in 2016, sitting on the bench and, thus far, showing little when he has played.PATRICK MAHOMES IIWith Alex Smith traded to Washington , all the pressure now is on Mahomes in Kansas City after he was the target of all those longing looks to the bench by fans during his rookie season. He looked good winning his first NFL start in last year’s regular-season finale . That won’t help with expectations remaining high for the Chiefs, who won the AFC West before blowing a wild-card game to the Titans at Arrowhead Stadium in the playoffs.