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DURHAM (AP) — By the numbers, Thad Lewis couldn't have done much more.

He passed for 350 yards with two touchdowns. He didn't commit a turnover. He was sacked just once. Yet he saw his senior season begin in the same fashion that most of his games at Duke have ended: with a loss.

That 24-16 home loss to Richmond almost summed up Lewis' career as a four-year starter heading into Saturday's game at Army. His stat line seemingly should have been enough to lead the Blue Devils to a win, yet he came up short yet again at a position that's judged most by winning.

"A lot of people think it's pressure for a quarterback to make the play, but at the same time, the ball hits your hand every time," Lewis said Tuesday. "Every snap, you touch the ball, so in some way shape or form or fashion you have to make a play because the play never gets started without you."

Dating back to an 0-12 season in 2006, Lewis has lost 10 of 11 games in which he has thrown for at least 250 yards. He has thrown more touchdowns than interceptions in eight of those games, including six in which he didn't throw a pick at all.

He's had three four-TD games in losing efforts and threw for a career-best 428 yards in a loss to Navy in 2007.

Facing the defending Football Championship Subdivision title winner last weekend, Lewis completed 34 of 55 passes, including a 54-yarder to Johnny Williams. But there was no help from the running game (19 yards on 16 attempts) and a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown, all of which ended up being too much to overcome.

"It's got to be frustrating for him," tight end Brandon King said. "He played well and the rest of the team has got to take some of that burden off him. Our running game really needs to pick it up because we can't just rely on him and his arm the whole game."

But, to listen to his coach, Lewis also could have done more. David Cutcliffe helped shape the Manning brothers into NFL passers and has been comfortable with demanding more out of Lewis under center.

"Some of the run game responsibility falls on him," Cutcliffe said. "When you're a quarterback in our system and you're spreading the field, you've got to make run game decisions. ... I thought if we played better in the passing game — him, the line, the receivers, everyone — I'm not being disrespectful to Richmond, but we should have thrown for over 500 yards and scored enough points to win the game.

"So was I pleased with the way we played? No, not at all."

Lewis sounds fine with those high expectations. After all, if he meets them, the wins will come.

"There's always more things you can do to help your team out," Lewis said. "Whatever he adds to the plate, I'm going to try to handle what he gives me."