HOUSTON – Houston’s defence looked nothing like the sieve it was last year in a season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Sure, part of that has to do with the new 3-4 scheme, but players and coaches alike noticed a different feel to the unit.

Some call it confidence, others say it’s swagger, but however it’s termed, coach Gary Kubiak says it comes from the group knowing everyone can make plays.

Kubiak also believes the trust the players have in new defensive co-ordinator Wade Phillips has made a difference in their play.

“They’ve got a lot of confidence in the guy making the call when it’s third-and-5, that’s sending the defence in,” Kubiak said. “Overall, it’s just real upbeat right now and feeling good out of Week 1 and moving on to Week 2.”

Houston ranked 30th in the NFL in yards allowed last season with 377 and the 267.5 yards passing a game the Texans yielded was most in the league. The Texans face Miami on Sunday after allowing the fifth-fewest yards in the NFL last week.

Linebacker DeMeco Ryans loves the 3-4 scheme Phillips implemented when he was hired by the Texans in January after being fired as the head coach in Dallas when the Cowboys started 1-7.

“I think the mindset is everyone is just eager to do good,” Ryans said. “Everyone wants to be great in this defence, and this defence allows us to be more aggressive. Guys know what to do and how to do it, which allows us to play fast.”

The unit is focused on pressuring the quarterback, after ranking 23rd in sacks last season with 30. The Texans excelled at that task against the Colts, sacking Kerry Collins three times, which led to two fumbles.

Mario Williams, the top overall draft pick in 2006, moved from defensive end to outside linebacker this season and had two sacks against Indianapolis.

Phillips was impressed with Williams’ debut at linebacker and is sure he wasn’t alone.

“I think everybody in the country is, everybody that saw the game and all of our fans and certainly the coaches are,” he said. “The guy was a dominant player in the game and that’s what we’re looking for from him.”

Linebacker Brian Cushing thinks the push up front was the key in Houston’s improvement.

“I think the pressure’s obviously been a lot better, which has helped overall,” Cushing said. “I think any time you have a better pass rush and can get after the quarterback, it helps your overall defence, so that’s really benefited us so far.”

The Texans were encouraged by Cushing’s performance against the Colts, when he led the team with seven tackles. He had 133 tackles as a rookie in 2009, but finished with just 76 last year when he served a four-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.

He seems to have finally recovered from off-season knee surgery that kept him off the practice field for much of camp.

“He looks really good,” Kubiak said. “He’s playing very, very hard. The effort he played with last week, if he plays like that all year he’s going to lead a lot of things.”

Phillips said he doesn’t do anything special to build confidence in his players and there’s no secret to why his defence is so self-assured already.

“The guys have done a good job of learning their responsibilities and what they’re supposed to do and that’s part of it,” he said. “Then part of it is playing together and playing well. Our first group really played well in preseason and I think that helped our confidence going into the season.”

Houston has also been helped by the addition of defensive end J.J. Watt, a first-round draft pick this year, and perhaps more importantly, cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Danieal Manning, both picked up in free agency.

The pair is hoping to help turn around the league’s worst pass defence from a year ago. Joseph thinks Houston’s solid play against the Colts will give the group something to build on.

“I think it rolls over and it carries over, as well as does practice,” he said. “If you go out in practice and make plays, it carries over to the game just because it gives you confidence throughout the week that you can do the same thing on Sunday.”

It’s a bit easy to say the AFC South should belong to the Houston Texans this season.

But I’m joining the chorus and saying it anyway: If this team can’t win this division, it’ll be time for owner Bob McNair to crumple up the plan and aim it for the closest trash can.

The Texans have a championship-caliber quarterback, receiver, tight end and running back (maybe two or three of those) all working with a smart and skilled offensive line that understands how it needs to work.

Mindset is the only question mark on offense, starting with Matt Schaub’s ability to rise to big moments. Even if he’s only average in that category, with Peyton Manning out for at least the bulk of the season, Schaub is the best signal-caller in the division by a wide margin.

The Schaub-Andre Johnson-Arian Foster combination is among the league’s best. Who has a better trio?

Philadelphia perhaps, with Michael Vick-LeSean McCoy-DeSean Jackson. Maybe Matt Ryan-Roddy White-Michael Turner in Atlanta. If we sub tight ends for running backs, San Diego with Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson is in the conversation as is Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley.

The revamped Houston defense was outstanding in the opener. Sure, much of that had to do with the Colts’ offense in its first game with Kerry Collins playing in place of Manning. But we saw all the elements of a defense that can win games — stout run defense, consistent pressure on the quarterback, quality coverage, the ability to cope with sudden-change situations.

One can see swagger and confidence in the body language of guys thrilled to be working under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. I think he’s too low key, but it can clearly work for him as a coordinator. He has a way of keeping things simple and keeping the mood light, and players have bought in. I never sensed a similar feeling when Richard Smith or Frank Bush manned the post, though they obviously didn’t have the same quality of personnel Phillips will enjoy.

On special teams, Neil Rackers has a big leg that will make a lot of touchbacks and long field goals. Jacoby Jones and Danieal Manning can provide a jolt in the return game. Rookie punter Brett Hartmann isn’t proven yet but has a big leg.

The schedule is hardly a breeze, but look at the quarterbacks they could face: Collins twice, Chad Henne, Matt Hasselbeck twice (or maybe rookie Jake Locker), Luke McCown twice (or maybe rookie Blaine Gabbert), Colt McCoy, Andy Dalton and Cam Newton.

Houston’s been called a soft team, a finesse franchise. Not too many soft teams produce the NFL rushing champion the way this team produced Foster last season.

If the Texans’ offensive blocking scheme amounts to a finesse one, so be it. The Colts have won the division eight times in nine seasons with a lot of finesse. They’re fine with you insulting them over it while admiring their success.

The Texans can show their toughness this season in how they stand up to Pittsburgh on Oct. 2 and at Baltimore on Oct. 16 and in how they fare in their games with the Jaguars.

The Colts’ issues should be a huge assist for the Texans, as will the fact that the Titans and Jaguars are trying to stay afloat with temporary quarterbacks while developing top-10 draft picks in Locker and Gabbert. Although both teams may be ascending, their talent doesn’t match Houston’s.

If the Texans can make it through the first three-fourths of the season with a good record and in good health, they should be golden with a home stretch against Cincinnati (away), Carolina, Indianapolis (away) and Tennessee.

It sets up for success.

If this team folds under the expectations, if it cannot go get what’s so attainable, it’s going to have to be dismantled. It will require no more Mr. Nice Guy from McNair, who will have to part ways with a lot of nice guys he truly admires, starting with GM Rick Smith and coach Gary Kubiak. McNair will have no choice but to look for a different tone after a house cleaning.

I don’t think that’s how things will play out. I think Manning’s injury is a big break that opens the door, a door the Jaguars and Titans are not ready to approach. The Texans are more than talented enough to storm through it if they don’t complicate things. Run the ball. Work the play-action and bootleg game off of it. Rush the passer. Build from there as the season goes on and finish strong.

Watch pundits pick you to be a team that can do damage in the playoffs, and respond to it.

It sounds simple.

It just might be.

HOUSTON — Hey, Peyton Manning. If there was ever a doubt about what you mean to Indianapolis, there isn’t anymore.

Final score in Sunday’s season opener: Texans 34, Colts 7.

What already looks like a long, long season ahead for the Colts might be the chance, at last, for the Texans to make a leap forward in the AFC South.

Matt Schaub threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, Ben Tate rushed for 116 yards and another score in relief of injured Arian Foster, and Houston dominated Kerry Collins, Manning’s replacement.

The Texans (1-0) weren’t ready to say the win signals a change in the division. Houston beat the Colts with Manning in last year’s home opener, but finished 6-10.

“We were in the same situation last year,” star receiver Andre Johnson said. “And then, things just went bad for us.”

Then again, with Manning out indefinitely, Houston has never had a better chance to earn the franchise’s first postseason berth.

“Every year, you get your group together and it’s your chance to do something special,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “So it was this group’s first opportunity together and they made it happen.”

No Manning on the field certainly helped.

Last year, the Colts rallied from the opening loss to finish 10-6 and win the division for the seventh time in eight seasons. In the fourth quarter on Sunday, Indy receiver Reggie Wayne gathered his teammates and reminded them of the turnaround.

“I just told them: ‘We’re going to be all right. It’s a long season and there’s no reason to worry,”‘ Wayne said. “We were in the same position last year and we still accomplished our goal and that’s taking care of our division.”

This loss definitely had a different feel, though.

The four-time MVP quarterback didn’t travel with the team as he recovers from his third neck surgery in the 19 months. His streak of 227 consecutive starts, including playoffs, ended.

The Colts (0-1) lured the 38-year-old Collins out of retirement less than three weeks ago to take a crash course in the offense. Based on the opener, they may need to find a better solution.

Collins fumbled on consecutive snaps that set up Texans touchdowns in the first quarter, and he was sacked three times. He didn’t throw an interception, but the offense mustered only 236 yards and 15 first downs against Houston’s 3-4 defense guided by new coordinator Wade Phillips.

“This wasn’t the day, obviously, that we’d hoped for, but it’s a long season,” Collins said. “I don’t care what the situation is, we just can’t do those things and expect to have a chance to be in the ball game. We’ve got a lot to do obviously. We’ll get back to work.”

The Texans sprinted to a 34-0 halftime lead, even with 2010 NFL rushing leader Foster deactivated with a left hamstring injury. Foster ran for 231 yards in the opener against the Colts last year.

Tate, a 2010 second-round draft pick who sat out last season with a broken ankle, carried 24 times and Ward scored a touchdown before leaving with an ankle injury.

Indy, meanwhile, seemed overwhelmed on both sides from the start.

Mario Williams hinted what was coming when he sacked Collins for a 9-yard loss on Indy’s fourth snap. Williams, Houston’s sacks leader in each of the past five seasons, made his first start at outside linebacker, one of the big changes introduced by Phillips.

Houston’s defense showed improvement after ranking as one of the league’s worst in 2010.

“It was obviously a good start for us,” Phillips said. “We felt like we had to come out strong against that team. They had adversity with their quarterback. We had to play strong early, and I thought we did that.”

The Colts’ defense was just as vulnerable as the offense, allowing 259 yards and 19 first downs in the first half.

“We couldn’t do anything right in all three phases,” Colts defensive end Robert Mathis said.

Even after jumping to a 17-0 lead, the Texans couldn’t feel comfortable just yet, recalling they’d blown 17-point leads to the Colts in Houston in 2008 and ’09.

Manning wasn’t here to bail out Indy, though, and Houston poured it on.

Schaub went 5 for 5 on the Texans’ next series, finding Johnson open in the back of the end zone for a 24-0 lead. Johnson had seven catches for 95 yards in the game.

“That’s the best half of football we have probably played as a team,” Kubiak said. “It was explosive in every area.”

The Colts used their timeouts at the end of the half to give the offense one more chance to do something, and even that backfired.

Jacoby Jones fielded a punt with just over a minute left and outran the Colts down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown. It was Jones’ third punt return for a TD and his first since 2008.

Tate fumbled with about 10 minutes left in the game, and the Colts averted the shutout when Wayne caught a 6-yard TD pass from Collins.

“We’ve got to go back to the basics and focus in on the things we did really poorly,” Indy coach Jim Caldwell said. “They are all correctable. There is an old saying, ‘You’re never as bad as you think you are when you lose, and you’re never as good as you think you are when you win.’ That certainly is true for us today.”

Notes: Colts LB Ernie Sims left in the first half with a knee sprain. LB Gary Brackett sprained his shoulder after an interception return in the fourth quarter. … The Texans recognized the Sept. 11 anniversary by allowing four members of both the New York city police and fire departments to lead the team onto the field before the game. Linebacker DeMeco Ryans, the last player introduced, waved an American flag as he came out of the tunnel.

By Kristie Rieken

The Houston Texans could finally be for real. The Indianapolis Colts could be in real trouble without Peyton Manning.

Matt Schaub threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, Ben Tate rushed for 116 yards and another score in relief of injured Arian Foster, and the Texans dominated Kerry Collins, Manning’s replacement, in a 34-7 victory on Sunday.

The Texans looked as though they’re finally ready to take over the AFC South.

Getting the win was a big step for a team that is 3-16 against its division rival – but the Texans aren’t ready to talk about how the division will shake out after just one game.

“I think the most important thing is we went out, executed on defence, played well on offense and we’re 1-0,” Houston linebacker Brian Cushing said.

Manning, a four-time MVP, didn’t travel with the team to Houston as he recovers from his third neck surgery in 19 months. His streak of 227 consecutive starts, including playoffs, came to an end.

The 38-year-old Collins was lured out of retirement less than three weeks ago to take a crash course in the Colts’ offense. With Manning expected to be out at least two months, the Colts will need Collins to quickly knock the rust off his game.

“It’s important to learn from it,” Collins said of his first start for the Colts. “Every game is a learning opportunity. Obviously the scoreboard didn’t go the way we wanted it to go, but we have an opportunity to learn from this. I have a great opportunity to learn from it and I definitely will. I think everybody will.”

Collins fumbled on consecutive snaps that set up Houston touchdowns in the first quarter, and he was sacked three times. Though he didn’t throw an interception, the Colts mustered only 236 yards and 15 first downs against Houston’s 3-4 defence guided by new coordinator Wade Phillips.

The Texans sprinted to a stunning 34-0 halftime lead, even with 2010 NFL rushing leader Foster deactivated with a left hamstring injury. Foster ran for 231 yards in the opener against the Colts last year, but the Texans hardly missed him.

Tate, a 2010 second-round draft pick who sat out last season with a broken ankle, carried 24 times and Ward scored a touchdown before leaving late in the game with an ankle injury.

“That’s the best half of football we have probably played as a team,” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “It was explosive in every area, offense, defence, special teams. We have to be that way.”

Indy, meanwhile, seemed overwhelmed on both sides from the start, but receiver Reggie Wayne remained optimistic despite the tough start.

“It’s a long season and there’s no reason to worry,” Wayne said he told his teammates. “We were in the same position last year and we still accomplished our goal and that’s taking care of our division.”

He repeatedly referred to the Colts losing to the Texans 34-24 in Week 1 last season and still making the playoffs and insisted that this loss is no different.

“We’ll never know if this would have been different if 18 (Manning) was here,” Wayne said. “But the guys we have here now, we’ve got to deal with this. So for us, it feels like last year. We came out and we lost. We’ve just got to build off of this, which I think we will.”

AP

Mario Williams hinted what was coming when he sacked Collins for a 9-yard loss on Indy’s fourth snap. Williams, Houston’s sacks leader in each of the past five seasons, made his first start at outside linebacker, one of the big changes introduced by Phillips.

The Colts’ defense also struggled, allowing 259 yards and 19 first downs in the first half.

Neil Rackers finished Houston’s second series with a 25-yard field goal before the romp started in earnest.

Collins lost the ball when he was hit by defensive end Antonio Smith, and nose tackle Shaun Cody recovered at the Indy 12. Ward scored on a 1-yard run for a 10-0 lead.

Collins dropped the next snap from center Jeff Saturday, rookie defensive end J.J. Watt pounced on the loose ball, then Tate ran into the end zone with 1:41 left in the opening quarter.

“We played a good football team today and we didn’t help ourselves certainly by those two turnovers back-to-back and giving them a short field,” Collins said. “I don’t care what the situation is, we just can’t do those things and expect to have a chance to be in the ball game. We’ve got a lot to do obviously.”

Schaub found Andre Johnson open in the back of the end zone for a 24-0 lead. Johnson had seven catches for 95 yards.

Indy failed to get a first down on its next possession, and the Texans turned to their backup running backs to drive downfield again. Tate broke off a 14-yard run and Ward had an 8-yarder before Rackers kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Jacoby Jones fielded a punt with just over a minute left in the first half and outran the Colts down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown.

Tate fumbled with about 10 minutes left in the game, and the Colts averted the shutout when Wayne caught a 6-yard TD pass from Collins.

 

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans could finally be for real. The Indianapolis Colts could be in real trouble without Peyton Manning.

Matt Schaub threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, Ben Tate rushed for 116 yards and another score in relief of injured Arian Foster, and the Texans dominated Kerry Collins, Manning’s replacement, in a 34-7 victory on Sunday.

The Texans looked as though they’re finally ready to take over the AFC South.

Getting the win was a big step for a team that is 3-16 against its division rival — but the Texans aren’t ready to talk about how the division will shake out after just one game.

“I think the most important thing is we went out, executed on defense, played well on offense and we’re 1-0,” Houston linebacker Brian Cushing said.

Manning, a four-time MVP, didn’t travel with the team to Houston as he recovers from his third neck surgery in 19 months. His streak of 227 consecutive starts, including playoffs, came to an end.

The 38-year-old Collins was lured out of retirement less than three weeks ago to take a crash course in the Colts’ offense. With Manning expected to be out at least two months, the Colts will need Collins to quickly knock the rust off his game.

“It’s important to learn from it,” Collins said of his first start for the Colts. “Every game is a learning opportunity. Obviously the scoreboard didn’t go the way we wanted it to go, but we have an opportunity to learn from this. I have a great opportunity to learn from it and I definitely will. I think everybody will.”

Collins fumbled on consecutive snaps that set up Houston touchdowns in the first quarter, and he was sacked three times. Though he didn’t throw an interception, the Colts mustered only 236 yards and 15 first downs against Houston’s 3-4 defense guided by new coordinator Wade Phillips.

The Texans sprinted to a stunning 34-0 halftime lead, even with 2010 NFL rushing leader Foster deactivated with a left hamstring injury. Foster ran for 231 yards in the opener against the Colts last year, but the Texans hardly missed him.

Tate, a 2010 second-round draft pick who sat out last season with a broken ankle, carried 24 times and Ward scored a touchdown before leaving late in the game with an ankle injury.

“That’s the best half of football we have probably played as a team,” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “It was explosive in every area, offense, defense, special teams. We have to be that way.”

Indy, meanwhile, seemed overwhelmed on both sides from the start, but receiver Reggie Wayne remained optimistic despite the tough start.

“It’s a long season and there’s no reason to worry,” Wayne said he told his teammates. “We were in the same position last year and we still accomplished our goal and that’s taking care of our division.”

He repeatedly referred to the Colts losing to the Texans 34-24 in Week 1 last season and still making the playoffs and insisted that this loss is no different.

“We’ll never know if this would have been different if 18 (Manning) was here,” Wayne said. “But the guys we have here now, we’ve got to deal with this. So for us, it feels like last year. We came out and we lost. We’ve just got to build off of this, which I think we will.”

Mario Williams hinted what was coming when he sacked Collins for a 9-yard loss on Indy’s fourth snap. Williams, Houston’s sacks leader in each of the past five seasons, made his first start at outside linebacker, one of the big changes introduced by Phillips.

The Colts’ defense also struggled, allowing 259 yards and 19 first downs in the first half.

Neil Rackers finished Houston’s second series with a 25-yard field goal before the romp started in earnest.

Collins lost the ball when he was hit by defensive end Antonio Smith, and nose tackle Shaun Cody recovered at the Indy 12. Ward scored on a 1-yard run for a 10-0 lead.

Collins dropped the next snap from center Jeff Saturday, rookie defensive end J.J. Watt pounced on the loose ball, then Tate ran into the end zone with 1:41 left in the opening quarter.

“We played a good football team today and we didn’t help ourselves certainly by those two turnovers back-to-back and giving them a short field,” Collins said. “I don’t care what the situation is, we just can’t do those things and expect to have a chance to be in the ball game. We’ve got a lot to do obviously.”

Schaub found Andre Johnson open in the back of the end zone for a 24-0 lead. Johnson had seven catches for 95 yards.

Indy failed to get a first down on its next possession, and the Texans turned to their backup running backs to drive downfield again. Tate broke off a 14-yard run and Ward had an 8-yarder before Rackers kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Jacoby Jones fielded a punt with just over a minute left in the first half and outran the Colts down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown.

Tate fumbled with about 10 minutes left in the game, and the Colts averted the shutout when Wayne caught a 6-yard TD pass from Collins.

HOUSTON — Reggie Wayne gathered the Indianapolis offense on the sideline in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans on Sunday and shared a simple message. “We’re going to be all right,” Wayne said he told his teammates. It was a pep talk the Colts needed on a day when they were dominated by the Texans in a 34-7 loss with Peyton Manning out with a neck injury. Matt Schaub threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, Ben Tate rushed for 116 yards and another score in relief of injured Arian Foster, and the Texans took advantage of the miscues of Manning’s replacement, Kerry Collins, for the win. Manning, the four-time MVP, didn’t travel with the team to Houston as he recovers from his third neck surgery in the 19 months. His streak of 227 consecutive starts, including playoffs, ended. Wayne remained optimistic despite the tough start and finished his fourth quarter speech, by telling the team “there’s no reason to worry.” “We were in the same position last year and we still accomplished our goal and that’s taking care of our division,” Wayne said. He kept referring to the Colts losing to the Texans 34-24 in Week 1 last season and still making the playoffs and insisted that this loss is no different. “We’ll never know if this would have been different if 18 (Manning) was here,” Wayne said. “But the guys we have here now, we’ve got to deal with this. So for us, it feels like last year. We came out and we lost. We’ve just got to build off of this, which I think we will.” The 38-year-old Collins was lured out of retirement less than three weeks ago to take a crash course in the offense. Based on the opener, the Colts need to find another solution. Collins fumbled on consecutive snaps that set up Texans touchdowns in the first quarter, and he was sacked three times. He didn’t throw an interception, but the Colts mustered only 236 yards and 15 first downs against Houston’s 3-4 defense guided by new coordinator Wade Phillips. “It’s so hard after a loss like that to think about how you did personally,” Collins said. “Everybody had a hand in it in one way or another, but as quarterback of the team, regardless of how long I’ve been here, I need to take care of the ball better.” The Texans sprinted to a 34-0 halftime lead, even with 2010 NFL rushing leader Foster deactivated with a left hamstring injury. Foster ran for 231 yards in the opener against the Colts last year, but the Texans hardly missed him. Tate, a 2010 second-round draft pick who sat out last season with a broken ankle, carried 24 times and Ward scored a touchdown before leaving late in the game with an ankle injury. Indy, meanwhile, seemed overwhelmed on both sides from the start. Mario Williams hinted what was coming when he sacked Collins for a 9-yard loss on Indy’s fourth snap. Williams, Houston’s sacks leader in each of the past five seasons, made his first start at outside linebacker, one of the big changes introduced by Phillips. Indianapolis coach Jim Caldwell didn’t blame Collins for the lopsided defeat. “It was tough out there,” Caldwell said of Collins’ first start for the Colts. “Obviously he had some pressure and some situations where protection broke down on him. He didn’t perform as well as he is capable of because of that, but he made some nice throws. One guy or two guys can’t do it all. It’s a team game.” The Colts’ defense was just as vulnerable, allowing 259 yards and 19 first downs in the first half. Neil Rackers finished Houston’s second series with a 25-yard field goal before the romp started in earnest. Collins lost the ball when he was hit by defensive end Antonio Smith, and nose tackle Shaun Cody recovered at the Indy 12. Ward scored on a 1-yard run for a 10-0 lead. Collins dropped the next snap from center Jeff Saturday, rookie defensive end J.J. Watt pounced on the loose ball, then Tate ran into the end zone with 1:41 left in the opening quarter. “This wasn’t the day obviously that we’d hoped for,” Collins said. “We didn’t help ourselves certainly by those two turnovers back to back and giving them a short field. I don’t care what the situation is, we just can’t do those things and expect to have a chance to be in the ball game.” The Texans couldn’t feel comfortable just yet, recalling they’d blown 17-point leads to the Colts in Houston in 2008 and ’09. Manning wasn’t here to bail out Indy, though, and Houston poured it on. Schaub found Andre Johnson open in the back of the end zone for a 24-0 lead. Johnson had seven catches for 95 yards in the game. Indy failed to get a first down on its next possession, and the Texans turned to their backup running backs to drive downfield again. Tate broke a 14-yard run and Ward had an 8-yarder before Rackers kicked a 29-yard field goal. Jacoby Jones fielded a punt with just over a minute left in the first half and outran the Colts down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown. It was Jones’ third punt return for a touchdown and his first since 2008. Tate fumbled with about 10 minutes left in the game, and the Colts averted the shutout when Wayne caught a 6-yard TD pass from Collins.

The Streak officially ends Sunday. The Houston Texans also want to believe time is running out on the Indianapolis Colts’ reign in the AFC South.

Peyton Manning will sit out Sunday’s opener between the teams at Reliant Stadium with a neck injury that forced him to undergo yet another surgery on Thursday. His string of 227 consecutive starts that spans 13 seasons will end.

Manning has had some of his biggest games against Houston, and the Colts have won 16 of 18 meetings. But with Manning sidelined indefinitely and gray-whiskered Kerry Collins starting in his place, the Texans have seemingly never had a better opportunity to overtake their divisional nemesis.

“I’m eager to see what this team can do,” Texans right tackle Eric Winston said. “I think we’ve got a lot of potential, I think we’ve got a lot of good players, and I think we’ve put the right work in so far to be a good team. Now, we’ve got to go produce.”

The Colts may catch a break in the opener, too, with Texans running back Arian Foster’s status uncertain because of a hamstring injury that’s bothered him for a month. Foster, the 2010 NFL rushing leader, ran for a franchise-record 231 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s opener against Indianapolis.

“I plan on being ready,” he said. “But if it’s not ready, it’s not ready.”

Houston coach Gary Kubiak said if Foster feels up to it he’ll play, despite all the practice time he’s missed. Backups Derrick Ward, Ben Tate and Steve Slaton split the carries in Wednesday’s workout, and Kubiak said any one of them could capably pick up Foster’s load.

The Colts, meanwhile, face the ultimate test of their “next man up” mantra without the indispensable Manning, the league’s only four-time MVP.

“You’re just not going to see another guy quite like him,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “He’s a very, very special individual, but the fact of the matter is, we’ve kind of always kind of built our program around the fact that we look forward to the next man stepping up and being able to get in there and perform, and perform well enough for us to win. So I think we’re still in that frame of mind.”

The 38-year-old Collins was planning hunting trips and writing songs in Nashville before the Colts persuaded him to come out of retirement two weeks ago. With Manning reduced to a tutoring role, Collins has been getting a crash course in the complex offense Manning’s been running without interruption since 1998.

“Obviously, it’s like learning a new language,” Collins said, “but I really feel like I’ve come a long way in a short time. Are there things I’m learning every single day? Absolutely. For being here two weeks and just having a short time to get into this thing, I feel like things are going well.”

But Collins hasn’t even gotten the chance to play in a real game with Pro Bowlers Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, and the Colts are breaking in three new starters on the offensive line.

Caldwell said he’ll simplify the game plan for the opener as much as he can to make Collins feel more comfortable. He doesn’t expect Collins to be perfect.

“Our offense is one that can be pretty complicated,” Caldwell said. “We don’t anticipate that someone could come in and run our entire offense after either a month or two months. So we certainly don’t anticipate that, and we would not expect that. But he’ll be able to operate what we need and, obviously … we’re kind of tailoring things to suit his skill level within our offense.”

Some of the Texans admit they’re a little disappointed they won’t face Manning in the opener, and give new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme a proper initiation.

Houston’s defense ranked as one of the league’s worst in 2010, but the rebuilt unit showed promise in the preseason, generating 15 sacks and seven turnovers in four games. The players would’ve loved to match up with one of the game’s all-time great quarterbacks to accurately gauge how much they’ve improved.

“Obviously, we’d like to see him out there,” linebacker Brian Cushing said. “He’s one of the best to ever play the game. As a competitor, you want to play against him. You want to play against the best, but it doesn’t change our game plan.”

Houston’s pass defense ranked last in the league in 2010, and the Texans acquired cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Danieal Manning in free agency.

Joseph said the revamped secondary is more focused on the Colts’ receiving corps than who will be throwing to them. Wayne leads the NFL in receptions (643) and yards receiving (8,849) since 2004 — combining with Manning, naturally — and Clark is back after missing the final 10 games of last season with a wrist injury.

“We just have to go out and prepare for whoever is the starter,” said Joseph, who has 14 interceptions in five seasons with Cincinnati. “In this league, you can be beat by anyone taking snaps back there behind the center, just because you have enough weapons around him to still get the job done.”

Colts vs Texans Live 2011 NFL Online at http://www.usanfltv.com .Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans Live Streaming NFL Regular Season Coverage starts at Sunday, 1:00 PM EDT. The game Colts vs Texans will be televised on NBC.

New York, NY (PRWEB) September 09, 2011

Colts vs Texans Live 2011 NFL Regular season kicks off this week in Indianapolis .Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans Live Streaming NFL Regular Season Coverage starts at Sunday, 1:00 PM EDT.The game Colts vs Texans will be televised on NBC.

Colts vs Texans Live online Here – http://www.usanfltv.com/

Indy’s top rusher hasn’t practiced since injuring a nerve in his left shoulder Oct. 17 at Washington. Indianapolis running back Joseph Addai is doubtful for the Colts’ game Monday night against Houston after missing another practice Saturday. Indianapolis Colts appear to have the same challenge the Pittsburgh Steelers had last season when they opened the season without their star quarterback. For Jim Caldwell’s team to have similar success, the Colts are going to have to do their best Steelers impression.

After being released by Miami last November, cornerback Jason Allen was claimed off waivers by the Texans the next day. When the 2006 first-round selection arrived in Houston, a familiar feeling resurfaced during his first secondary meeting.

Houston Texans :

Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas, United States. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL).

Owner(s)- Bob McNair (95%), Harris County (5%)

Chairman – Bob McNair

President – Jamey Rootes

Head coach- Gary Kubiak

Championships : League championships (0), Conference championships (0), Division championships (0)

Indianapolis Colts :

Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The club was officially founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1953, but can trace its history to the Dayton Triangles, a founding member of the NFL that was originally created in 1913.

Owner(s)- Jim Irsay

Head coach – Jim Caldwell

Team colors – Stampede Blue, White

Championships – League championships (4†), NFL Championships (3), 1958, 1959, 1968, Super Bowl Championships (2), 1970 (V), 2006 (XLI)

Division championships (14) – NFL Coastal: 1968, AFC East: 1970, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1987, 1999, AFC South: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010

Playoff appearances (24)- NFL: 1958, 1959, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Top Performers

Passing: P. Manning (IND) – 433 YDS, 3 TD

Rushing: A. Foster (HOU) – 33 CAR, 231 YDS, 3 TD

Receiving: A. Collie (IND) – 11 REC, 163 YDS, 1 TD

Colts vs Texans Live online Here – http://www.usanfltv.com/

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FAST FACTS
• Last meeting: Colts 30, Texans 17, on Nov. 1, 2010, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
• Head-to-head series: Colts lead 16-2

TEXANS’ TRENDS
• Offense:If RB Arian Foster’s hamstring injury isn’t serious, Houston has an effective balance which has given the Colts fits in the past. Foster is the classic one-cut runner behind a zone-blocking scheme. QB Matt Schaub has emerged as one of the NFL’s most talented passers and WR Andre Johnson is among the game’s elite as his position. Johnson is a matchup problem for any CB.
• Defense:Wade Phillips was hired as coordinator revamp one of the NFL’s worst defenses. He’s installed a 3-4 scheme that will stand up Pro Bowl pass rusher Mario Williams as an OLB. It might take time for the Texans to familiarize themselves with the scheme, but they bolstered the CB position by adding free agent Johnathan Joseph opposite 2010 first-round pick Kareem Jackson.

TEXANS’ LAST GAME
• Vikings 28, Texans 0: As is customary in preseason finales, Houston rested its starters in its only exhibition loss after three victories. The game was close for a half as Minnesota led 7-0 at the break before blowing it open with a third-quarter TD and two more in the final quarter. Houston hurt itself with a couple turnovers as well as 10 penalties for 99 yards. But as the saying goes, it was preseason.

Reading the coverage …

ProFootballFocus.com’s Sam Monson and Khaled Elsayed assess the biggest areas of need and which player needs to be re-signed for each AFC South team.

Houston Texans

The team made two hires in its scouting department. The Texans promoted Mike Maccagnan to director of college scouting and named Dale Strahm a national college scout.

SI’s Peter King said it would be “a huge mistake if the Houston Texans don’t go after [Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha] hard right out of the shoot” when free agency begins.

Indianapolis Colts

King also weighed in on Peyton Manning’s offseason neck surgery: “I don’t think this last surgery he had was a serious surgery, but I think it’s serious that a guy who’s an absolute workout-aholic is not able to have a normal offseason. I don’t think necessarily it’s going to play havoc with how he plays early in the season. But it’s just something to worry about, especially at his age [35].”

Stampede Blue makes the case for the Colts to go after Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield in free agency.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Need more proof the Jaguars’ pass defense was wanting in 2010? The team ranked 31st in the league against three-wide receiver sets, according to Football Outsiders.

Tennessee Titans

ESPN’s Tim Hasselbeck thinks his brother Matt would be a good fit in Tennessee.

In the debate over who’s the better quarterback — Vince Young or Kevin Kolb — it comes down to potential versus experience.

Reading the coverage …

Houston Texans

GM Rick Smith wrote the Monday Morning Quarterback column in Sports Illustrated this week, and he talks about how the Texans have handled the lockout and how this offseason has been “more interesting and challenging than any other I’ve been a part of in my six years as general manager of the Texans and my 16 years overall in the NFL.”

Matt Schaub thinks Raiders corner Nnamdi Asomugha would fit right in with the Texans: “I totally think it would be a great fit for him. … Him and [Texans wide receiver] Andre [Johnson] have a good relationship so I definitely see it as a great fit for him with this new scheme that we’re bringing in and what Wade [Phillips] is going to be able to do and especially the teams that we play.”

Indianapolis Colts

Since Peyton Manning has not had access to the Colts’ trainers, he’s been “extra cautious” with his rehab from neck surgery. Manning: “When you find a good trainer and a good rehab guy that you like, it’s a pretty special bond. These guys kind of know your body. So the fact that I haven’t had access to my guys and I’ve been somewhat on my own, I’ve been extra cautious and extra slow and making sure we don’t have any setbacks.”

Jacksonville Jaguars

The lockout has slowed down season-ticket sales, which could mean more television blackouts in Jacksonville.

Don Carey was a surprise participant in a youth football camp hosted by the Jets’ David Harris in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Tennessee Titans

Kerry Collins’ redemption as a person may surpass his considerable accomplishments on the field, writes CBSSports.com’s Len Pasquarelli.

The Titans won’t consider Vince Young as Kerry Collins’ replacement, writes the Tennessean’s David Climer.

Although veterans may not miss playing a full preseason schedule, preseason games provide valuable opportunities for rookies and fringe players and are profitable for teams as well.