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Russell Wilson vs. Andrew Luck: Breaking down the numbers

Is Russell Wilson as good a pocket passer as Andrew Luck? The stats say he's even better. USA TODAY Sports

After Andrew Luck signed his contract extension with the Indianapolis Colts last week, I took a look at how he and Russell Wilson compare four years into their respective careers.

Statistically, Wilson has the edge in just about every category. The post addressed the fact that Wilson has had a superior run game, a better defense and a more stable organization behind him.

But there are other arguments that readers brought up, so as we wait for training camp, I thought I'd address them in a second post.

1. Wilson has operated in more favorable game situations.

This is true. For example, 52.9 percent of Luck's career passing attempts have been made when the Colts were trailing. For Wilson, that number is only 38.9 percent. But even in those situations, Wilson's numbers are superior.

If you look at when the Colts and Seahawks have been tied or trailing, it's the same story.

So it's certainly fair to point out that Luck has had to play from behind more than Wilson, but there's no evidence that suggests Wilson would struggle in the same situations.

2. Wilson can't operate from the pocket as well as Luck.

The numbers here favor Wilson, but some have argued that the statistics are misleading because Wilson leaves the pocket too much.

Seahawks coaches have been pretty honest in pointing out when this has been an issue. As recently as the first half of last season, they noted that some of the offensive line problems were on Wilson for not trusting his eyes and holding on to the football.

But it seemed like Wilson turned the corner in the second half of last season. From Weeks 10 to 17, he was sacked on 4.9 percent of his dropbacks. Only seven quarterbacks in the NFL had a lower number during that span. In those eight games, Wilson threw 25 touchdowns against two interceptions and had a passer rating of 124.3. The Seahawks' offense averaged 31.25 points per game.

Quarterbacks are scrutinized more heavily than any other position, but at some point we're nitpicking. Every quarterback misses open receivers. But neither the film nor the numbers suggest that Wilson leaving the pocket too often was a serious issue in the second half of last year.

3. Wilson would struggle if asked to do as much as Luck.

I think this is one area where some underestimate Wilson's ceiling and what makes him effective. He has the third-lowest interception percentage in NFL history, behind only Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. He's never missed a game. And while he has benefited from playing with a great running back, Wilson has been a factor in making the running game effective.

In 2010 and 2011, the Seahawks had Marshawn Lynch. They ranked 28th and 14th in rushing efficiency, according to Football Outsiders. In four years with Wilson, they've ranked first twice, third and seventh. Obviously, there are other factors, but Wilson has to be accounted for by opposing defenses in the Seahawks' run game.

In the last four games of 2015, the Seahawks relied on Christine Michael, DuJuan Harris and Bryce Brown at running back. During that stretch, Wilson threw 13 touchdowns and one interception and had a passer rating of 120.6. The offense averaged 29.5 points per game. And that was without Wilson having a single Pro Bowl teammate on offense.

It's completely fair to suggest that Wilson has been put in a more favorable situation than Luck with the running game and defense. But there is no evidence to this point that suggests he struggles when asked to carry a bigger load.