INDIANAPOLIS – When the NFL schedule was announced on Tuesday night, Andrew Luck's eyes were drawn to where most Colts fans initially looked.

Week Six: New England.

Luck said on Wednesday "he would be lying" if he didn't look for New England on the Colts slate of games.

It's why the Colts have had nearly 100 percent participation for the first week of the offseason program.

The AFC Championship loss to the Patriots lingers---for the quarterback, and the team.

"It sits there," Luck said on Wednesday during the Colts first week of their offseason program.

"It's a bit embarrassing in a sense and it fuels you. You realize if you want to do anything in the AFC, you are going to have to figure out a way to beat those guys."

Per usual, Luck took about four-to-five weeks away from football to start his offseason before ramping things back up.

In analyzing film from his third straight Pro Bowl season, Luck points to three areas of necessary improvement entering 2015.

Luck would like to see the Colts offense jump into the top five of the NFL in red-zone efficiency (12th in 2014) and third-down conversions (13th in 2014).

He had 40 touchdowns and 16 interceptions last year, a ratio that he wants to see grow wider in 2015.

With the Colts now back at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, Luck has gotten acclimated to his new targets.

"It's been enjoyable going out, throwing with the guys and seeing how different people cut and move and body control," Luck said on Wednesday.

"There's some really good players out there."

Luck's presence is already making an impression on two of the more acclaimed Colts newcomers.

Frank Gore has taken note of how Luck is handling the first week of offseason drills.

"He's running the show," Gore said of Luck. "When we are out there throwing the ball, he's telling us what to do and that's what I'm happy to see as a quarterback."

Andre Johnson said on Wednesday that Luck "throws a great ball" and is "probably the best quarterback" he's played with in 12 NFL seasons.

Luck recalls watching Gore in college (Stanford is 20 minutes south of San Francisco, where Gore played for 10 seasons), and even remembers being an excited middle schooler when Luck's then hometown team, the Houston Texans, drafted Johnson back in 2003.

He's now the leader of incorporating those two Pro Bowlers into a proven, potent offensive attack.

As the Colts begin the earliest of work for the 2015 season, Luck takes a broad approach in handling things this time of year.

The end goal is there, and won't be shied away from, as the fundamentals are drilled this spring.

"I don't think anybody in this locker room has a problem with that being a true, realistic, ultimate goal," Luck said of Super Bowl 50.

"At the same time, that's a long way away and you need to make these days count because they are limited. That's where the focus of this this staff and this locker room is, how do you make tomorrow the best Thursday we can? Because we all need to get better, in every facet."