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Football Outsiders newest gold nuggets come in an evaluation of Stop Rates:

"Stop Rate is defined as the percentage of a players Plays that were Stops. Plays are any time a player shows up in the play-by-play on defense: tackles, assists, forced fumbles, etc. Stops are plays that stop the offense short of what FO considers a successful play: 45 percent of yards on first down, 60 percent on second down, and 100 percent on third or fourth down.

"Obviously, Stop Rate isn't a perfect stat. It measures the plays that a player makes, not the plays he misses or the plays he doesn't even get a chance to miss because he is being properly blocked away from the ballcarrier. Still, it gives you a good idea of where players were making their plays and thus why certain defenses were good or bad at certain parts of the game in 2010."

Let's break out the AFC South.

Linebackers

Among linebackers, Tennessee’s Will Witherspoon ranked 10th with a 79 percent rate and Indianapolis’ Kavell Conner was 12th at 77 percent.

On the other end of the scale: Houston’s Zach Diles was second-worst at 46 percent, Tennessee’s Gerald McRath was at 50 percent and Indianapolis’ Pat Angerer was 12th at 55 percent.

I’m surprised that Witherspoon was so effective and I think that production bodes well for his immediate future. I knew McRath would be bad -- he was nowhere near the playmaker the Titans advertised.

I thought Conner and Angerer made nice contributions for the Colts as rookies, and I would not have predicted either would be on the far end of the scale here.

Diles isn’t going to be on the field in Houston’s new defense very often.

Defensive linemen

Houston’s Antonio Smith tied for eighth at 87 percent.

Three guys from the AFC South rated among the worst: Indianapolis’ Dan Muir is second-worst at 54 percent, Houston’s Amobi Okoye fifth-worst at 64 percent and Indianapolis’ Robert Mathis eighth-worst at 66 percent.

Muir could be replaced by third-rounder Drake Nevis. Mathis, once regarded as exclusively a pass rusher, has improved as a run stopper, but this is a disappointing number. Okoye’s status in a 3-4 remains to be seen and many are speculating he won’t be on the final roster.

Defensive backs

No players from the AFC South made the top 12 or bottom 12 in the category.

The Colts' full injury report for Wednesday:

• DB Al Afalava, Ankle, Full Participation
• OT Ryan Diem, Back, Did Not Participate
• DE Dwight Freeney, Rested, Did Not Participate
• DB Kelvin Hayden. Neck, Did Not Participate
• DT Antonio Johnson, Chest, Limited Participation
• DE Robert Mathis, Rested, Did Not Participate
• DT Dan Muir, Chest, Full Participation
• DB Mike Newton, Hamstring, Did Not Participate
• RB Dominic Rhodes, Hip, Did Not Participate
• OG Jamey Richard, Concussion, Did Not Participate
• LB Clint Session, Elbow, Did Not Participate

At this point you'd have to guess it's unlikely to see Hayden or Session back after long layoffs.

If Rhodes can't play, Mike Hart is now healthy and ready.

Having both Muir and Johnson to go with Fili Moala in the middle of the defensive line could be big as the Colts try to slow the Jets' run game.

Late Monday afternoon, we’ll see the obligatory shot of Peyton Manning walking into Lucas Oil Stadium in a sharp suit. For many big-time players, it’s the standard pre-uniform uniform.

In the case of Manning and the Colts, it’s fittingly symbolic.

Some teams may match Indianapolis’ business-like approach. I don’t know that anyone surpasses it.

Serious has produced a lot of success in the Manning era. Preparation and semi-stoic personalities are staple elements of the team’s culture.

Colts president Bill Polian is a serious guy. Head coach Jim Caldwell is a serious guy. Manning is a serious guy. Their humor tends to be understated or deadpanned. Manning’s known for telegenic sarcasm, not whoopee cushions and hand buzzers.

A good organization takes on the personality of people in those positions, and most of the Colts follow the lead of the team’s power trinity.

I’m not around the team daily, but I’ve spent a good bit of time with the Colts since 2008. Big personalities are a big part of the NFL. But even the Colts’ bubbliest guys -- Gary Brackett, Jeff Saturday, Pat McAfee -- often strive to be reserved. (I bet McAfee shows a lot less personality than he used to when he returns from a one-game suspension for an alcohol-related arrest.)

Players in Indianapolis sometimes try to be uninteresting and bland. It’s safer. It takes less time. It can’t become a distraction.

Given all that serious and calm, I sometimes wonder where having fun ranks in the team’s pyramid of success. It’s something I’ve pondered since training camp and something I think can be looked at, like chemistry, as a chicken-and-egg question.

Do you need success to have fun? Do you need to have fun to have success?

Caldwell gave me a nice chunk of time on the subject during training camp.

“I think success breeds fun,” said Caldwell, whose team meets the Houston Texans in an AFC South showdown on Monday night (ESPN, 8:30 ET). “Guys have to believe in what you’re doing, they have to be able to in execute it, and that’s hard work. It’s discipline, it’s fortitude, it’s toughness. All of those things -- there is no easy way to get that done.

“I really do believe the fun comes after. And you can enjoy it. These guys enjoy it and have passion for what we do. Passion, enthusiasm -- those are high on the list. That’s different than fun. And I think fun comes after winning. That’s my take on it.”

Weekly preparations can be monotonous. There are moments in an NFL day and times in an NFL week that laughter can help pass time better than anything. I am sure the Colts, like other teams, have plenty of those times.

But you won’t come across stories of the Colts dressing up rookies in Halloween costumes for a flight or of a position group deciding to all grow mustaches or mullets. You won’t find two of their top players doing a reality show on Versus or a star with a weekly fantasy football radio show.

Stuff like that just isn’t part of the way the Colts operate, and their fun comes in different, less visible, ways.

“I think when you think of the Colts, you think of the mellow-type guys who take everything business-like and serious,” second-year cornerback Jerraud Powers said. “But we’ve got a lot of jokes going on on this team. We’ve got a lot of different personalities. You see Dan Muir and Eric Foster and them in pregame warm-ups trying to see who can dance the best. You’ve got Peyton in the funny commercials and all that. They bring that type of excitement to the team.

“We have fun, we cut up and play around. But when it’s time for football, that’s what it is: It’s football.”

And while Caldwell might go into great detail about work and discipline, fortitude and toughness, he does talk fun too.

“When Coach Caldwell has a meeting, it’s ‘We’ve got to do this, we’ve got to do that, we’ve got to do this.’ But he always ends with ‘let’s have fun and win,’ ” Powers said. “People take it to heart … I think we have fun, just in our own way. You might not see a guy going out of the ordinary, trying to get attention. But we have fun out there.”

And laughs and smiles and jokes are hardly the only measure of whether football players are having fun.

Seeing a smart plan work is fun. Executing with a precision that frustrates an opponent is fun. Carrying a coaching tip into a game and seeing it work against an opponent is fun. (Cashing large paychecks must be fun, too.)

Clyde Christensen, a Tony Dungy disciple who is now Caldwell’s offensive coordinator, said he looks at the whole job and setting as fun.

“I just give them the same bullet points that I have with my life, you know?" Christensen said. "What a great privilege to make your living in football. I’m going to enjoy it, I’m going to enjoy every day, I’m going to enjoy practice, I’m going to enjoy the guys.

“Now I have found ... winning is really fun. But I’m going to enjoy it either way. I love doing it, I love coaching, I love teaching, I love being around these guys, I like the relationships; I enjoy all that’s part of it. It is an awful lot of fun to win a football game. It’s an awful good feeling to head into that locker room with the guys you did that with.”

Things differ from guy to guy. Christensen cited injured tight end Dallas Clark as a fun-all-the-time type. Caldwell knows he comes across differently, and freely admits he doesn’t relax much until his work is done. There might be a few weeks during the offseason when he really asks if he’s finished.

Everything else qualifies as prep time.

“Our guys enjoy playing. Just watch our guys when they take the field -- there is a lot of enthusiasm, they have a great time,” he said. “But I also believe this: the fun is in winning. In our preparation to do so, we have a good time.”

The night of Dec. 10, 2006, the Indianapolis Colts were in a stupor, hoping for a short memory and a quick recovery.

They’d just been gashed for 375 rushing yards by the Jaguars in 44-17 loss in Jacksonville.

It was the Colts’ second loss in a row, their third in four games and the run defense was a critical issue. They finished the regular season dead last in ground yards allowed, yielding an average of 173 yards a game, 44.1 more yards than the next worst team.

Those Colts rebounded from the second-worst rush defense in franchise history. They defended the run well enough to deliver Indianapolis its first Lombardi Trophy just seven games after Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor went crazy against them.

The timing is different now. There is the possibility we saw a blip -- not the start of a trend -- in Houston Sunday. But the theme is similar.

After allowing Arian Foster a Houston Texans' single-game record of 231 yards at Reliant Stadium, the Colts are looking to restore a semblance of order to their run defense in order to get on track.

"We pride ourselves on fixing things,” middle linebacker Gary Brackett said. “And I think that's what we'll get done."

This week’s opponent, the New York Giants, have a good offensive line. Surely they will look to feed running back Ahmad Bradshaw and take advantage of some of the run-defense deficiencies the Texans exposed. But the Colts expect to be a different defense, one closer to last year’s form.

“They are an extremely fast defense and need to get to the football with multiple players -- which they did pretty well last year,” said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. “Their defensive tackles are also bigger than they have been in seasons past. Am I sure that is better? No.

“But I also tend to think that Sunday's performance was about as bad as it can get and that generally speaking, they are a better run defense than what they showed. They also game planned Houston to have [Colts' safety] Bob Sanders [available], who is a terrific fill player. And much of their scheme is designed to funnel the ball in his direction.”

In 2006, Sanders’ return from a knee injury keyed the Super Bowl run. He missed 12 games including the final four of the regular season, but was a giant factor in three playoff games and the Super Bowl. Another part of the solution: moving Rob Morris into an outside linebacker slot to replace Gilbert Gardner.

Sunday in Houston, Sanders went down early. He's out indefinitely after surgery to repair a torn bicep. Without him to fill, the Colts need to be more disciplined and not let their speed become a disadvantage. They don't want their linebackers and defensive backs to overrun plays.

Aggressiveness is good. Overaggressiveness can be deadly.

The outside linebackers, Philip Wheeler and Clint Session, and Sanders’ replacement, Melvin Bullitt, were especially ineffective against Foster and the Texans.

The Colts have to have people in position to snuff out cutback lanes and runs, slowing a back while help arrives.

The team almost can take solace in the fact that it has recovered from this sort of thing before. In those four playoff games in the 2006 season, the defense allowed only an average of 82.8 yards a game, a drop of more than 90 yards from the regular season.

“It is certainly fixable,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “We have gone through spurts like that before, not something you want to revisit every single week obviously. But until you get it stopped, it’s an issue. We had games where Jacksonville ran for I don’t know how many yards, Kansas City torched us for over 500 [total yards], but we were able to come back and get the ship righted in that regard. This is going to take a little work, but we can get it done.”

Unlike many teams, Indianapolis is not built to sell out in stopping the run. The Colts are willing to give up some rushing yards. It fits with their philosophy.

With an offense built around Peyton Manning and some dangerous weapons, the Colts look to build a lead and play from ahead. If a game pans out in that fashion -- and it very often does -- susceptibility to the run becomes less of a factor, because an opponent generally needs to throw to rally. And the Colts defense wants quarterbacks to drop back since Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis get to rush and cause problems.

Freeney said it will be particularly important this week for veterans who’ve been through it to convey those survival instincts to youngsters who were not around in 2006.

Key players on defense like defensive tackles Dan Muir, Antonio Johnson and Fili Moala, linebackers Session and Wheeler and corners Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey were not with the team then.

"The veterans have to let guys know, ‘These things happen, this is the National Football League,’” Freeney said. “The other team gets paid, too. You're not going to always have your best game. I just think it's about how you bounce back from those type of games.

“That really defines the character of your team and what kind of guys you have. I don't know one team in the history of football that hasn't had a bad week. I don't care who it is.”

"Reading the coverage" this morning pointed you to this Mike Chappell story about the load of Colts heading toward free agency in 2011.

But before anyone who likes to wear a blue horseshoe panics, here’s a run through of Chappell’s list of the 19 guys who will be in line for restricted or unrestricted contractual freedom, divided into handy categories:

Will be signed this summer

QB Peyton Manning -- The Colts plan on ensuring the NFL’s only four-time MVP is the league’s highest paid player.

Close to essential

S Antoine Bethea -- The underrated glue of a secondary that does well limiting big plays.

LB Clint Session -- The Colts usually let linebackers leave, but this playmaker he should be an exception.

S Melvin Bullitt -- Presuming Bob Sanders’ time is close to over, this versatile defensive back won’t be easily replaced.

Like to keep, but replaceable

RB Joseph Addai -- He’ll be 28 for 2011 and Donald Brown should be ready to be the lead guy, but if Addai’s price is right and his health is good…

PK Adam Vinatieri -- A healthy and clutch season can make retaining him more important.

OT Charlie Johnson -- A versatile piece who's nice to have, but if he can secure a starting job elsewhere he could want to move.

Rather have than lose

DT Dan Muir -- They’ve invested a lot of time and effort in developing him.

DT Antonio Johnson -- They’ve invested a lot of time and effort in developing him.

Would keep for cheap

DL Eric Foster -- A versatile piece who’s a small, fast interior guy well suited for Colts.

DL Keyunta Dawson -- Ranks as the fourth end now, but can contribute as role player.

G Kyle DeVan -- Did admirable work as a surprise starter last year, but they added a few interior guys.

Expendable

OT Tony Ugoh -- His stock could change, but at this point could rate as the team’s fourth tackle.

TE Gijon Robinson -- Might not make the roster this season if fifth-rounder Brody Eldridge is the blocking upgrade expected.

S Jamie Silva -- Doesn’t seem to me to be in line to inherit a starting spot if a frontline safety leaves.

DE Ervin Baldwin -- Late add in 2009 is behind two Pro Bowlers, new first-rounder Jerry Hughes and Dawson.

WR Sam Giguere -- With quality crowd ahead of him, not going to find room to work as a receiver.

To be determined

G Andy Alleman – Haven’t seen him in Colts’ uniform yet.

OT Adam Terry -- Haven’t seen him in Colts’ uniform yet.

Quality read

Mike Tanier shares thoughts on the toughest college programs to evaluate.

Houston Texans

John McClain thinks the Texans will go running back in Round 1.

An offensive value board from a Texans perspective courtesy of Lance Zierlein.

Indianapolis Colts

Melvin Bullitt and Dan Muir signed their tenders, says Phil Richards.

Assessing the defensive line with John Oehser.

Ryan Lilja didn’t love the way the Colts line was talked about but is moving on, writes Oehser.

Stampede Blue found an interesting NFL venue ranking that put Lucas Oil Stadium at the top of the list. I agree it’s a great venue, but if you factor in the bad food and limited dining options I think No. 1 is a bit of a stretch.

A quality Q&A with Mike Chappell.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are being proactive in trying to trade out of No. 10, says Vito Stellino.

Vic Ketchman contemplates the need for buzz.

The Jaguars are looking for more draft-day steals, says Chris Harry.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans see a lot to like in Gerald McRath, writes Jim Wyatt.

LenDale White signed his tender, says Wyatt.

Wyatt thinks the Titans will look to bring back Daniel Loper. I think Loper’s chances hinge on what the team thinks of Mike Otto and Troy Kropog.

Cortland Finnegan makes Andy Benoit’s list of the league’s top 10 corners.

Voice of the Titans' Mike Keith is impressed with how Vince Young is carrying himself.

We’ve seen little overall action on restricted free agents, and no RFA from the AFC South has signed an offer sheet anywhere.

I think teams should be more active in this department, as I discussed here.

Shockingly, no one in power listened to me there.

It’s news when a restricted free agent signs his tender, sure. I saw several of those from around the league flashing across Twitter during my recent vacation.

But the real news would be one of them not ultimately signing it. I’m not going to devote too many blog posts to RFAs following through on their only real option. We’ll see more and more of these soon.

The deadline for signing an offer sheet with another team is Thursday.

Then, if a guy really wants a chance to be traded during the draft, he’s got to be under contract when calls are made and the paperwork needs to be turned quickly. Think he creates a lot of leverage by not signing the tender?

On June 15, old clubs can pull tender offers to unsigned RFAs and still keep exclusive rights by substituting an offer of 110 percent of 2009’s salary.

Here is the status of RFAs who were tendered in the division.

Houston

• DL Tim Bulman -- Signed tender
• OT Rashad Butler
• TE Owen Daniels
• RB Ryan Moats -- Signed tender
• S Bernard Pollard -- Signed new contract
• LB DeMeco Ryans -- Signed new contract
• G Chris White

Indianapolis

• S Antoine Bethea
• S Melvin Bullitt -- Signed tender (per Scout.com)
• DT Antonio Johnson
• OT Charlie Johnson
• DT Dan Muir

Jacksonville

• DT Atiyyah Ellison -- Signed new contract
• LB Clint Ingram
• DT Montavious Stanley -- Signed tender

Tennessee

• DE Dave Ball -- Signed tender
• DT Tony Brown
• TE Bo Scaife -- Signed tender
• LB Stephen Tulloch
• DT Kevin Vickerson
• RB LenDale White

The first move of the free agency period in the AFC South was hardly earth-shattering: Houston punter Matt Turk re-signed with the Texans for a year.

Agent David Canter revealed the news in a tweet and did not share financial terms.

Also, the league sent out the official list of RFA tenders so we have info on the guys who were missing.

Jacksonville put a third-round tender on linebacker Clint Ingram and did not tender defensive lineman Greg Peterson.

The Colts put second-round tenders on Charlie Johnson, Melvin Bullitt, Antonio Johnson and Daniel Muir. The did not tender Hank Baskett, Tyjuan Hagler, Freddy Keiaho, or T.J. Rushing.

That makes for four defensive backs the Colts passes on retaining -- Marlin Jackson, Tim Jennings and Aaron Francisco were also not tendered.

The RFA tender lists of the Texans and Titans were previously complete.

Aaron Wilson reports that former Titans coordinator Jim Schwartz is at Kyle Vanden Bosch's Nashville home trying to recruit the unrestricted defensive end.

Houston Texans

Potential unrestricted free agents: CB Dunta Robinson, WR Kevin Walter, RB Chris Brown, DT Jeff Zgonina, G Chester Pitts, S Brian Russell, S Nick Ferguson, LS Bryan Pittman, LB Chaun Thompson, QB Rex Grossman, LB Khary Campbell, G Tutan Reyes, T Ephraim Salaam, P Matt Turk.

Potential restricted free agents: DL Tim Bulman, S John Busing, OT Rashad Butler, TE Owen Daniels, RB Ryan Moats, S Bernard Pollard, LB DeMeco Ryans, G Chris White.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: I don’t think the Texans will jump out and make any monumental moves. But by deciding not to tag Robinson they created another hole and saved themselves big dollars. With needs at corner, running back, free safety, interior offensive line and defensive tackle they may have more than they can address in one draft. That means they could jump out for one significant free agent – like they did last year with defensive lineman Antonio Smith -- and maybe another less expensive one or two.

Indianapolis Colts

Potential unrestricted free agents: MLB Gary Brackett, K Matt Stover.

Potential restricted free agents: WR Hank Baskett, S Antoine Bethea, S Melvin Bullitt, OL Dan Federkeil, CB Aaron Francisco, LB Tyjuan Hagler, CB Marlin Jackson, CB Tim Jennings, DT Antonio Johnson, OT Charlie Johnson, LB Freddy Keiaho, DT Dan Muir, CBPR T.J. Rushing.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: Brackett is priority one and the team has indicated a plan to pay him as an upper-echelon guy. The restricted list includes a lot of key guys who will remain big factors next year. Indy is not a team that looks to bring in many outsiders for big roles and it won’t start now. Bill Polian’s said the Colts will sit back and see how things unfold in the new capless landscape.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Potential unrestricted free agents: DE Reggie Hayward, G Kynan Forney.

Potential restricted free agents: DT Atiyyah Ellison, LB Clint Ingram, DL Greg Peterson.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Jaguars are draft-reliant, but will also shop for bargains in free agency, hoping to plug a couple holes with high-character guys with upside who fit what they are doing. As for a big splash, it’s unlikely based on their recent busts with big-name free agents like Jerry Porter and Drayton Florence and the direction they’ve moved since.

Tennessee Titans

Potential unrestricted free agents: DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, C Kevin Mawae, LB Keith Bulluck, TE Alge Crumpler, CB Nick Harper, CB Rod Hood, DE Jevon Kearse, S Kevin Kaesviharn.

Potential restricted free agents: DE Dave Ball, DT Tony Brown, TE Bo Scaife, LB Stephen Tulloch, DT Kevin Vickerson, RB LenDale White.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Titans will undergo a youth movement, especially on defense where Vanden Bosch and Bulluck, who’s recovering from ACL repair, are going to be allowed to walk. Mawae been told his only chance to return is as a backup at a backup price. Brown, Scaife and Tulloch are important guys they’ll want to retain. Beyond that, expect mostly bargain shopping.

Restricted free-agent tenders have to be done before midnight ET. Here's what's out so far:

Houston

• DL Tim Bulman – Right of first refusal.
• S John Busing – Not tendered.
• OT Rashad Butler -- Third.
• TE Owen Daniels – First and third.
• RB Ryan Moats – Third.
• S Bernard Pollard – First.
• LB DeMeco Ryans – First and third.
• G Chris White – Right of first refusal.

From John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Indianapolis

• WR Hank Baskett
• S Antoine Bethea – First.
• S Melvin Bullitt
• OL Dan Federkeil
• CB Aaron Francisco
• LB Tyjuan Hagler
• CB Marlin Jackson
• CB Tim Jennings
• DT Antonio Johnson
• OT Charlie Johnson
• LB Freddy Keiaho
• DT Dan Muir
• CB/PR T.J. Rushing

Bethea info from Adam Schefter.

Jacksonville

• DT Atiyyah Ellison
• LB Clint Ingram
• DL Greg Peterson

Tennessee

• DE Dave Ball – Second.
• DT Tony Brown – First.
• TE Bo Scaife – First at 110% or nearly $4.9 million.
• LB Stephen Tulloch –First.
• DT Kevin Vickerson –Second.
• RB LenDale White –Second.

From Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

It’s a whole new offseason world starting March 5, and we have no experience from which to predict what happens in an uncapped year. There are enough restrictions on the players’ side to offset the Wild West so many initially projected.

One area I am really curious to see is restricted free agency. Because there are fewer unrestricted free agents (it takes six years to get there now, not four), will teams be more protective of their RFAs and more aggressive in terms of signing RFAs from outside to offer sheets?

I certainly think a creative front office that can go after the right guys can lure them away or at least get a trade conversation going.

Teams must tender their RFAs by the end of March 4. Here are the levels of tags:

With no CBA by March 5, and we aren’t expecting one, here are the RFAs for each team in the AFC South, according to the NFLPA.

Houston

• DL Tim Bulman
• S John Busing
• OT Rashad Butler
• TE Owen Daniels
• RB Ryan Moats
• S Bernard Pollard
• LB DeMeco Ryans
• G Chris White

Indianapolis

• WR Hank Baskett
• S Antoine Bethea
• S Melvin Bullitt
• OL Dan Federkeil
• CB Aaron Francisco
• LB Tyjuan Hagler
• CB Marlin Jackson
• CB Tim Jennings
• DT Antonio Johnson
• OT Charlie Johnson
• LB Freddy Keiaho
• DT Dan Muir
• CB/PR T.J. Rushing

Jacksonville

• DT Atiyyah Ellison
• LB Clint Ingram
• DL Greg Peterson
• DT Montavious Stanley

Tennessee

• DE Dave Ball
• DT Tony Brown
• TE Bo Scaife
• LB Stephen Tulloch
• DT Kevin Vickerson
• RB LenDale White

When Thursday games arrive, the NFL asks the teams to participate in a bizarre injury report ritual. They are obligated to file a report on Monday even though they don’t practice the day after the game.

So the team estimates what players would have done had the team practiced.

In advance of Thursday’s Colts-Jaguars game, Indy said 29 players -- 55 percent of its roster -- would not have practiced and only two of them were categorized as “rested,” Antoine Bethea and Dwight Freeney.

Among the notables: Peyton Manning (glute) Gary Brackett (foot), Raheem Brock (back), Melvin Bullitt (shoulder), Kyle DeVan (shin), Ryan Diem (hamstring), Pierre Garcon (knee), Kelvin Hayden (knee), Tim Jennings (ankle), Charlie Johnson (foot), Jacob Lacey (biceps), Robert Mathis (quad), Dan Muir (hamstring), Jerraud Powers (hamstring), Clint Session (hand) and Tony Ugoh (hip).

The Jaguars said Clint Ingram (shoulder), Greg Jones (ankle) and Mike Sims-Walker (calf) wouldn’t have practiced.

Derek Cox (ankle), Kyle Forney (back), John Henderson (shoulder), Maurice Jones-Drew (knee), Rashean Mathis (groin), Zach Miller (shoulder), Daryl Smith (though) and Julius Williams (knee) would have been limited.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky

The Colts did Ed Johnson a big disservice the way they handled his release.

	Don McPeak/US Presswire
	Ed Johnson (92) had 11 tackles and no sacks through four games.

Johnson was officially let go Tuesday, and whether the news came out on the timetable the Colts desired or not, it came out.

Johnson was cut last season for violating a zero-tolerance policy in place for him regarding off-the-field issues. He was brought back this season with those same strict guidelines.

Considering the fanfare that greeted his return, that he was a starter since he was reinstated from his Week 1 suspension and that there had been no public questioning of his play, the team had to know a release without explanation was going to prompt suspicions he’d done something wrong off the field.

Coach Jim Caldwell admitted as much when he began to address it Wednesday.

“I know some might wonder whether or not it was a character issue,” he said.

If you knew, coach, why wouldn’t you seek to clarify that it was not as soon as possible? Isn’t that what you would have liked for someone to do for you if you were in a similar circumstance?

The team could have simply put out a statement Tuesday or have word passed down from on high that it was a production issue, not a behavioral one.

Here’s Caldwell’s entire explanation about how the move was tied to the addition of kicker Matt Stover.

“We released Ed Johnson. I know some might wonder whether or not it was a character issue. It was not. We had to take a real good look at our roster and see where we may be able to make an adjustment here or there to get another guy on it. (With) Ed (it) was more production than anything else.

On if rookie defensive tackle Fili Moala will now be in the rotation:

“Yes. Antonio Johnson is still there and Dan Muir along with Fili will rotate along with Eric Foster. We will still have a four-man rotation. I believe he [Moala] will do just like we expect him to do. There are a lot of young guys who come in and step up and are able to do the job, and we expect the same from him. He has shown, the last couple of weeks in particular, he has really come along. He has made some strides. We are going to have an opportunity to get him out there and see what he can do.”

On the reason for the Ed Johnson release:

“It was production or lack thereof.”

On when Adam Vinatieri’s knee injury came about:

“Last week is when the issue arose where it required a MRI and from that, we made a decision on what to do and how to go about it. He wanted to fight through it and continue to go, but we felt this was the best course of action.”

Posted by ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky

So much has gone right for the Indianapolis Colts as they’ve run out to a 5-0 record. But ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton is reporting the team has parted ways with a key contributor, cutting defensive tackle Ed Johnson.

Johnson

The team cut Johnson following the opener in 2008 after he was arrested for speeding and marijuana was allegedly found in his car. He was out of the league for the remainder of the season, and the Colts' defense missed him.

Jim Caldwell and Bill Polian decided to bring the big defensive tackle back for another chance, but this move comes without announcement or explanation and indicates he’s fallen short of the team’s expectations again.

What a disappointment. If it’s what it appears, Polian and Caldwell look bad for putting faith in Johnson, who said all the right things about getting another chance but now looks to be on his way out of the NFL.

The team will now look to Eric Foster or Dan Muir to step in to replace Johnson next to Antonio Johnson in the starting lineup. Neither has the presence of Ed Johnson, but the Colts have been masterful at plugging in the next man up and seeing no drop-off.

Ed Johnson served a league suspension for the opener, when Foster got the start.

The move can also open a door for second-round draft pick Fili Moala, who’s been inactive for all five games and has been said to be making slower progress than expected at the start of his career.

The Colts have a bye this week which will give them extra time to get the interior defensive line back in order.

They may also get injured cornerbacks Kelvin Hayden and Marlin Jackson and left tackle Charlie Johnson back for their Oct. 25 game at St. Louis. Safety Bob Sanders and receiver Anthony Gonzalez are also possibilities.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Five nuggets of knowledge about this weekend's games:

The Texans need a lot from Brian Cushing and Dunta Robinson: The rookie linebacker and the veteran cornerback were not part of the preseason, when the defense was not good, particularly against the run. Can they provide the missing ingredients against the Jets, who will be determined to run it? I think they will be difference-makers, but fear that others think their mere presence will “fix” things.

	Drew Hallowell/Getty Images
	How productive will Anthony Gonzalez be in a passing game already featuring Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark?

The Jaguars are not an ideal draw for the Colts: Jacksonville has run the ball with good success against the Colts in recent games. The Jaguars are a different team now, with two rookie tackles in Eugene Monroe on the left and Eben Britton on the right. Can they plow room for Maurice Jones-Drew and Greg Jones or Rashad Jennings against a stouter Colts’ defense? This is a big game for Antonio Johnson, Dan Muir and Eric Foster, the three defensive tackles expected to rotate for the Colts while Ed Johnson serves his one-game suspension.

Anthony Gonzalez can do a lot to quiet skeptics: I think he’s going to be a very productive player with an expanded role for the post-Marvin Harrison Colts. But there are plenty of people doubting just how much he will be able to do as the second or third option for Peyton Manning after Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. If he gets turns against rookie cornerback Derek Cox he needs to help Manning take advantage of Cox’s inexperience.

Mario Williams is bound to draw lots of attention: Whether he’s on the right where he starts out or flipped to the left in pass-rushing downs, the Texans stud defensive end will draw a lot of attention from the Jets. Here’s the first test as to whether the Texans can generate sufficient pass rush from elsewhere. Free-agent additions Antonio Smith and Shaun Cody and rookie Connor Barwin need to penetrate, hit and fluster rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez to maximize Houston’s chances.

Some rookie will rank as a hero or a goat in Indy: We’ve mentioned Monroe, Britton and Cox. Jacksonville will also start defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. The Colts are expected to start rookie cornerback Jerraud Powers and will rely on contributions from receiver Austin Collie, running back Donald Brown and punter Pat McAfee. If one of those eight guys has a great or terrible game, he’s likely to be a big piece of the storyline at Lucas Oil Stadium.