The NFL Insiders give credit to Andrew Luck for trying to cover up for his offensive line by blaming himself for the increase in sacks this season. (0:33)

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is on pace to be sacked an astonishing 60 times this season.

An ongoing narrative is that a primary reason why Luck has already been sacked 20 times through the first five games is because he holds the ball too long. However, a closer look at the numbers reveals that explanation to be only part of the story.

Luck is currently averaging 2.61 seconds to attempt a pass (the NFL average is 2.48 seconds), according to ESPN Stats & Information. He has thrown seven of his 10 touchdown passes when taking longer than the league average. Luck, though, has been sacked 15 times in that time span because the offensive line has not done an adequate job blocking.

Luck held the ball longer than the NFL average during the 2012 and 2015 seasons. In 2012, Luck's rookie season, he held the ball an average of 2.63 seconds, according to ESPN Stats & Information, and was sacked 41 times. He held the ball an average of 2.67 seconds and was sacked 15 times in seven games last season. The NFL averages for quarterbacks to throw the ball during the 2012 and 2015 seasons were 2.60 and 2.48 seconds, respectively.

The 2.81 seconds Luck is holding the ball this season is .13 seconds longer than he did in 2014, when he set a career high in passing yards (4,761 yards) and touchdowns (40). Luck was sacked only 27 times that season, even though he again held the ball longer than the NFL average.

Andrew Luck has been sacked a league-worst 20 times already on the season. AP Photo/Darron Cummings

The NFL average to attempt a pass in 2014 was 2.53 seconds. Luck averaged 2.68 seconds to attempt a pass in 2014. He threw an NFL-best 20 touchdowns when taking longer than the league average to attempt a pass.

Receiver T.Y. Hilton is still on the roster. Tight ends Dwayne Allen and Jack Doyle are on the team, too. The Colts are missing receiver Donte Moncrief (shoulder) and tight end Coby Fleener is currently in New Orleans.

That means the biggest difference between this team and recent Colts teams is the offensive line.

The goal of improving the offensive line is clearly progressing at a snail’s pace because Luck has been hit an additional 40 times to go with those 20 sacks.

Taking His Time Comparing how much time, in seconds, Andrew Luck is taking to throw this season compared to 2014, his best in the NFL, when the Colts quarterback threw for 4,761 yards and 40 touchdowns and was sacked 27 times. NFL rank in parentheses. 2016 2014 NFL avg. 2.48 2.53 Luck 2.81 (2)* 2.68 (8)** * Tied for NFL lead with 7 TDs when meeting/exceeding average * NFL-best 20 TD passes when meeting/exceeding average

Luck, in typical Andrew Luck fashion, would rather take the blame for the sacks than point the finger at his protection.

“You are going to have a clock in your head regardless of how much you are getting hit or not hit or sacked or whatever that is,” Luck said. “Again, I have said this before, I don’t think the sacks are necessarily indicative of how well our offensive line is playing. You can probably blame me for holding the ball too long. It is that clock developing in the game.”

Luck at times has missed opportunities to deliver the ball more quickly, but he has been only a small part of the problem.

One could suggest that offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski should call plays for Luck to get rid of the ball quicker to avoid taking as many hits. That’s a good thought, but the Colts' receivers don’t always have success getting off press coverage to get open underneath quickly. Furthermore, the Colts are at their best when getting chunk plays.

“Most offenses don’t have the patience to sit there and dink and dunk and take the underneath stuff and the touchdown [or] checkdown mentality,” coach Chuck Pagano said. “And then it’s hard against any defense to try to move it down the field without something bad happening from a penalty standpoint, turnover standpoint [and] have eight-, nine-, 10-play drives. They are hard to do.”

Luck is a big-play quarterback and that's where he has had most of his success. He completed eight passes of 20 yards or longer in Indianapolis' victory over the Chicago Bears last weekend. While Luck's style will cause him to get sacked and take hits, it is up to the offensive line to limit those things from happening.

“It’s a double-edged sword like most things in professional sports,” Luck said. “We know as an offense that big plays are great, but also first downs and touchdowns are great. Everything positive is great for an offense. It’s finding the right balance and I think we are still working at getting that.”