Fitzgerald Cecilio

Top overall pick Andrew Luck provided a glimpse of what's ahead for the Indianapolis Colts, throwing for 188 yards and two touchdowns in their 38-3 pre-season victory over the St. Louis Rams Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Luck, picked first overall by the Colts in this year's draft to replace Peyton Manning, posted his first NFL touchdown on his first throw -- a 63-yard toss to running back Donald Brown for a 7-0 lead over the Rams.

"Historic beginning!!!!!!!!!!!!! The legend has begun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeted after Luck's opening score.

Manning also threw a touchdown in his first NFL pass to Marvin Harrison in his pre-season debut in 1998.

Later, Luck found wide receiver Austin Collie at the end zone for a 23-yard pass to give the Colts a 14-0 edge in the second quarter.

He also led the Colts to a 13-play, 80-yard drive late in the second quarter that ended with a one-yard touchdown run by running back Delone Brown to make it 21-3 at halftime.

In 24 snaps, Luck went 10-for-16 for a 142.7 passer rating and showed some running skills as he rushed for nine yards in the first period.

"We converted some third downs and that was good, really good," Luck said. "We obviously put some points on the board but to put some drives together and convert some third downs on whoever was out there as an offensive unit was really good to see."

Drew Stanton replaced Luck before the first half ended and rookie Chandler Harnish went 3-for-3, including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Ross in the fourth quarter.

The Colts ran 32 times for 116 yards, with Vick Ballard producing 28 yards on six carries, while the new hybrid 3-4 defense under new coach Chuck Pagano also had a solid day, limiting the Rams to 215 total yards and resulting to two sacks by Jerry Hughes.

The Colts' point total tied the most in the preseason since 1964 and was the most lopsided exhibition victory since the team moved to Indianapolis in 1984.

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