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Houston Texans

When Arian Foster met with Roger Goodell, this picture was part of the result, says Nick Mathews of the Houston Chronicle.

Nick Scurfield of the Texans' web site reviews Houston’s defensive line.

Indianapolis Colts

Comparing teams just before the rebuild: The 2011 Colts have a lot more chips carrying over than the 1997 Colts did, says Nate Dunlevy of Colts Authority.

The Colts will take Andrew Luck in part because they know he can take a hit and they can’t be scared of letting him do so, says Dunlevy, this time at Bleacher Report.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars have taken care of their own on defense, and that has coordinator Mel Tucker feeling optimistic, says Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union.

David Garrard has landed in a good situation, says Stellino.

John Oehser of the team’s website defends the team’s transparency.

Tennessee Titans

Mike Munchak likes what the Titans have done so far in free agency and says the team isn’t finished yet, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

The way Matt Hasselbeck reacted to the Peyton Manning chase showed class, says David Climer of The Tennessean.

Former Jaguars quarterback David Garrard told Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union that he’s almost fully recovered from back surgery that kept him out of the 2011 season. Now he’s ready to return to the league.

He said he’d be OK with a backup role provided he finds the right situation, and spelling out the right situation included a jab at Jacksonville over a roster deficiency that didn’t make it the right situation:

“I’m going to make sure whatever team I go to has talent at the skill positions, so when my name is called I’ve got the best guys around me that are all proven. That city, the fans, the team itself, the skill players, the coaches, the system, all those things I get to take in account and weigh my options.

When his career with the Jaguars petered out, Garrard supporters and detractors battled over that issue. Was he a good quarterback suffering from a lack of weapons and protection or was he a quarterback not doing enough to help his weapons and protection fare better.

A year removed from Garrard, the Jaguars offense clearly suffers from all those issues -- Blaine Gabbert is coming off an incredibly poor rookie season, during which he had no consistent weapons to throw to and insufficient protection.

New coach Mike Mularkey and his staff are charged with improving Gabbert’s game while contributing to the front office’s effort to find upgrades at receiver and improve the protection by a line that run-blocked well for Maurice Jones-Drew.

Garrard should be able to find work in a league where quarterback depth is an issue. If and when he gets his chance to play again, we’ll have a new occasion to discuss the caliber of his weapons, and his play.

» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 27
Preseason Power Ranking: 19

Biggest surprise: The Jaguars added six new veterans to their lineup of top-12 defensive players and once the group jelled it played very productively. Jacksonville finished sixth in overall defense, making giant strides from 2010 and maintaining the gain even as it lost a load of quality contributors to injury. Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, who finished the season as interim coach after Jack Del Rio was fired, did good work in his first season as the defense's playcaller. Middle linebacker Paul Posluszny was the sort of centerpiece tackling machine the team envisioned when signing him away from Buffalo as a free agent.

Biggest disappointment: The Jaguars didn’t intend for rookie QB Blaine Gabbert to start 14 games before they felt he was ready to take over. But by cutting David Garrard (who later wound up having back surgery) just a week before the season started and bailing quickly on veteran Luke McCown, they went against their own plan and paid a huge price for it. Jacksonville’s pass offense was worse than anyone could have anticipated, averaging just 136.2 yards per game. The NFL’s best passing offense in New Orleans averaged 334.2. Gabbert may not have been much better operating behind better protection and with more dangerous weapons at receiver, but it sure would have been good for him to have had a chance to find out. Tight end Marcedes Lewis killed the team with his disappearing act after he got his payday.

Biggest need: While the defense will need a pass-rushing end and at least one cornerback, the attention has to be focused on the offense. Mike Thomas was the team’s No. 1 receiver in 2011 but slumped badly after he got a contract extension and was not equipped to work as the primary guy. He should be the third option in 2012, working primarily out of the slot. The Jaguars need big, fast and physical receivers who can threaten downfield and go get the ball for Gabbert or whoever winds up playing quarterback.

Team MVP: Unquestionably, running back Maurice Jones-Drew. He’s just the fifth back since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to lead the league in rushing on a team with the NFL’s worst passing offense. That means with no threat to keep defenses honest, he ran consistently against stacked boxes and still produced in a giant way. There are always worries about wear and tear on him, yet he finished very strongly with no sign of tapering off. The Jaguars need to get other guys who are good with the ball in their hands so they can rely on him less, extend his window, and increase the chance he’s on a winning team.

Still searching for pressure: How long have the Jaguars needed a consistent pass-rush threat off the edge? It seems they are always looking. Jeremy Mincey is a great, high-energy player, but he’d benefit greatly from having a player opposing offenses have to game plan around. Yes, the franchise missed badly when it traded up to No. 8 for Derrick Harvey in the 2008 draft and counted on its second pick the same year, Quentin Groves, to help rush too. They are mistakes they still haven’t made up for. Knee injuries and rehabilitation have meant Aaron Kampman has played in only 11 games in two seasons and will be hard to bank on.

John Lloyd from Yulee, Fla., writes: I count 24 players on jag IR. How did you get 27?

Paul Kuharsky: They placed a couple on IR that they eventually reached a settlement with. That means they can release those players while they're still injured. So they disappeared from the roster. But their seasons ended when they were put on IR.

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Jason from Philadelphia writes: You get 10 Colts players to keep next year, who are they? Top 5 in order, 6-10 doesn't have to be. Manning doesn't count. Freeney Mathis Castonzo Bethea Nevis Angerer Ijalana Wayne Clark Collie. Picked the tackles and Nevis because they are new draft picks and have shown promise when healthy. I've always stayed positive but that list was harder than I thought it would be. The talent level has really dropped off. I almost put McAfee in there.

Paul Kuharsky: OK, Manning doesn’t count and I am really concentrating on having the best team I can next year. I’ve changed this a bit from when I emailed you back.

I’d go: Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Antoine Bethea, Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Pat Angerer, Anthony Castonzo, Ben Ijalana, Drake Nevis and Jerraud Powers. Donald Brown just missed. I think he can actually run and will get out of the doghouse if there is a new regime. I think Dallas Clark's injuries are starting to mount and I don’t know if you can expect anything close to a full season from him.

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Jimmy Bagley from Philly, Pa., writes: Looking at your rankings, I am trying to figure out why you have Houston so low.... Why wouldn't they be at the number 4 spot? Green Bay, obviously number one with a bullet. Baltimore, number two ok. N.O. should be 3 and the Texans at 4... At this point in the season, why aren't the tie breakers used to figure these in.... Houston holds the tie breaker over both Pit and NE.... They were the first team in the AFC to clinch, and have the best divisional record of all the teams.... Not to mention the number 2 defense in the league and a top 3 running game.... They have managed to win in all types of circumstances.... After last week’s come from behind win I thought for sure it would win over critics waiting for them to choke... What else is going to take for the respect to come in.

Paul Kuharsky: What you are looking for, apparently, is the official playoff order for the league right now. (If we do that, what’s the point?) What the power rankings are looking for is my opinion on where teams stand. The official playoff rankings of the moment don’t take into account a third-string quarterback as the starter. No matter how impressive T.J. Yates has been, we have a very small sample size so far. And I have a tough time ranking a team he’s leading ahead of one led by Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger, who’ve won Super Bowls. The one case you can make is that the Texans should be ahead of Pittsburgh based on having beaten them. But the Steelers are a much better team now than they were then.

Also you suggest I should rank the Texans higher because they clinched earlier and have a better division record. So they get a reward for the Colts and Jaguars stinking and the Titans being average?

I have Houston sixth. I think we differ on whether that’s good or bad. I think it’s quite good.

I am continually amazed by how people regard the issue of respect. I think, universally, analysts are impressed by what the Texans have done and think they are a very good team. Apparently some of you think we should be holding parades for them and telecasting half-hour specials about their greatness.

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Scott Freistat from Hermitage, Tenn., writes: ESPN's latest ranking poll states that if the playoffs were to start today (12/13) the Texans would have the No. 1 seed. How is that possible considering they have the same records as the Ravens (10-3) and the Ravens own the head-to-head matchup? Please explain.

Paul Kuharsky: In a three-way tie, head-to-head results aren’t the top tiebreaker because it does nothing to factor in the third team. The Ravens win a tiebreaker over the Steelers being from same division. Then it’s Texans-Ravens-Patriots. If one team has swept the other two, it wins a tiebreaker. If not, then it’s conference record. The Texans win that right now.

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Brian Vining from Douglas, Ga., writes: Who is Matt Williamson? So I guess this so called expert wants to give up on a first round QB who has no weapons except for Maurice jones-Drew. Gabbert was not even going to be the starter this year. He is a young QB who needs time to develop. With a good coach and a couple of WR who can catch the ball Gabbert will be great. I'm not saying the Jags is the best out of the three but if I were a coach and could go to a team with a young up and coming QB. A great RB in MJD and a much improved defense I would jump on it. That's not even to mention Gene Smith who has the right philosophy to build a team who can contend for years. National media at it again. Gabbert sucks, the Jags can't fill the stadium, Jags are moving to LA. Maybe if some of them would actually do a little homework they would know none of this is true.

Paul Kuharsky: Williamson is a former NFL scout who knows as much about current personnel as anyone in my business.

Your logic falls apart here: “Gabbert was not even going to be the starter this year.” Then why is he the starter this year? Nothing catostrophic happened. The team chose to cut David Garrard and it chose to bench Luke McCown. Those moves made Gabbert the starter. If you don’t want him starting, arrange for him not to start. I don’t know how we can say he was not supposed to start and offer amnesty based on that. They are starting him. As promising as Gabbert may be, it’s not at all inaccurate to say he’s been horrible this season.

I like Smith, but the rebuild is not moving at a fast enough pace. His philosophy starts with foundation-building and two good lines. Three years in, I don’t see two good lines, do you? And where is anything close to a late-round home run?

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Mike M. from Houston writes: The next man up approach only works if the next man up has talent. The Texans have shown that they have talent beyond the 22 starters on the roster. Most have been draft picks, UDFA's, or were low level free agents when acquired (like Kevin Walter or Jason Allen). Does this make Rick Smith the front runner for executive of the year???

Paul Kuharsky: That’s an excellent point, that the next man up has to be equipped to do the job. Lots of teams without good depth get hurt and fall apart.

But let’s not make it like Rick Smith is at the powerful end of the spectrum of GMs in terms of decision-making. It’s a joint operation and he’s not bringing in anyone Gary Kubiak doesn’t sign off on. Wade Phillips had great influence on what they did in the draft and then free agency as well.

In Jaguars v. David Garrard, I’m going to have to go with Jaguars.

We checked in on Garrard’s odd story on Monday, wondering about the timeline that dictated back surgery this week and took him out of the mix for Oakland.

The Times-Union’s Tania Ganguli's report on Garrard today quotes his agent, Al Irby, claiming the Jaguars withheld injury information from Garrard when he was cut on Sept. 6.

It sure seems like sour grapes to me. The Jaguars evaluated Garrard’s back when he had issues during the preseason and Garrard and his camp raised no objections or concerns about him being hurt when the team let him go.

Jaguars general manager Gene Smith told Ganguli in an email that, "David went through the standard process that all players go through when released."

But Irby wants to run with a stereotype and will score with some who want to cast the Jaguars as cheap. From an email to Ganguli:

"At $500,000 per game, they knew he would be down 4-6 weeks. They didn't want to pay that bill. Now you know the difference between a first-class organization like Indy, and a sorry organization like the Jags. Indy gave their QB a contract even though he couldn't play all season. ... David was told his back was fine. So he took them for their word.

"Now he has to go to surgery, and Jacksonville is saying, 'Not my problem.' What a first class organization!"

Um, Al, did you just put Garrard in a class with Peyton Manning?

You did, and it’s utterly ridiculous.

If Garrard had a back issue when he was let go, you dropped the ball by not raising it, don’t you think?

So here’s some volume for that.

David Garrard will not re-emerge in Oakland or anywhere else this season. He told Chris Mortensen he’s got a herniated disc and will soon schedule back surgery.

Garrard missed some time in the preseason with back problems.

It’s unclear when the injury became an issue that needs surgery, but it’s a bizarre twist for the quarterback who was let go by the Jaguars just before the regular season started.

The indication when he didn’t land in Miami after Chad Henne's injury was that he was not satisfied with the role offered or the lack of guaranteed money. He clarified his rationale for passing up the Dolphins in a conversation with Mortensen.

In that interview on Oct. 9, Garrard told Mortensen: “Here's the bottom line: I'm staying in shape. I'm taking care of my body, my legs, my arm -- I'm having regular massage treatments. I'm ready to play. I'm ready for the right opportunity.”

That would suggest he had no disc problem eight days ago. Or that he had one he was hoping would settle down, one that could have been a factor in his dealings with the Dolphins.

Reading the coverage …

Houston Texans

Writes Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle: “[T]he thing that both excites and frustrates them about [Jacoby] Jones is that he can and should be so much better than he has been the last two weeks. He has the size and speed to be an impact player. The Texans know this because they've seen flashes of it in practice and at times in games during his first four seasons.”

Trindon Holliday will take over as the returner, to allow Danieal Manning and Jacoby Jones to focus on their primary jobs, writes McClain. I like the concept of a player taking the jobs away from key guys on offense and defense, but I’m scared of Holliday.

Indianapolis Colts

Injuries have left the Colts nearly devoid of quality defensive backs, says Phil Richards of the Indianapolis Star. Cincinnati’s rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and his receivers will have opportunities against this group.

Austin Collie’s workload is down, like a lot of skill players without Peyton Manning, says Mike Chappell.

Nate Dunlevy of 18to88 says Jacob Lacey was not as bad as people think against Dwayne Bowe.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars seek a new direction with their new punter Nick Harris, says Vito Stellino of the Times-Union.

Mike Tomlin didn’t care for questions about the Jaguars-Steelers playoff game that did wonders for the careers of Jack Del Rio and David Garrard, writes Tania Ganguli of the Times-Union.

Tennessee Titans

Offensive coordinator Chris Palmer was ticked off at Damian Williams for going on cruise control during the loss to the Steelers, writes John Glennon of The Tennessean.

When Jacksonville cut him just before the season, the widespread presumption was that David Garrard would be quickly scooped up. But the former Jaguars quarterback remains out of work, reportedly unsatisfied with a scenario Miami recently presented.

Jacob Ford was a pretty effective situational pass-rusher for the Titans, but didn’t rate as a fit for them as they changed their defense and went with bigger ends. When healthy, former Jaguar Vince Manuwai can be a top-flight run blocking guard. Like Garrard, they seemed like players who would land another job in relative short order.

But more than a month into the season, they and many others who may still be NFL-caliber players are floating around, jobless.

Why?

My theory is that when Team X spends a draft pick, money, time and resources to develop a player and ultimately decides he can no longer help, the rest of the league tends to think, “We’d rather develop our guy than take a chance on theirs, considering they’ve given up on him.”

“There are a lot of good players out there,” Titans defensive end Dave Ball said. “Look at guys coming through for workouts [and] not getting picked up. [Safety] Chris Horton came through here and worked out. He was playing a big role for the Redskins, a big role, a couple years ago.

“It’s tough. When you get cut, it can take a while. I got cut and it took me a year-plus to get back with somebody. I think it’s a big confidence-shaker for teams looking to pick people up.”

Teams typically have realistic views of their own players, at least in time. Fans can tend to overvalue their own.

Ball said Ford is a good pass-rusher who should definitely be on a team, and that it’s scary to look at the landscape of a league where there is not a spot for him.

As more and more teams devote themselves to building through the draft, they seem to be less interested in pulling in an outsider during the season if they don’t have a hole created by injury.

Surely former Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu expected to be working again by now.

For a lot of No. 1 picks, it’s different. Aaron Maybin, a defensive end drafted in the first round by Buffalo in 2009 but cut after two seasons, was of interest to more than one team and got signed by the Jets. The Colts scooped up former Atlanta No. 1 pick Jamaal Anderson and are getting good run-down work from him. Linebacker Ernie Sims was a similar acquisition, but he’s been hurt.

“There are a lot of people who will take that first-rounder, anticipating that they may not be able to get a full 60 minutes out of him, but maybe they can get two quarters of No. 1-draft pick play out of him, kind of using him in a role,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “There are some teams that do a great job of that, take guys who have been No. 1s, plug them in and say, 'All I need is a quarter or two quarters' or 'All I need is third down from this guy' and try to utilize him that way.”

As for lesser picks who are still floating out there, Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said he thinks it’s still early and a lot of those guys will wind up playing.

The lockout also contributed to less opportunity. Reinfeldt said the draft pick a team might have given up on after spending the spring and summer with him got the benefit of the doubt as teams needed more time to evaluate.

“It was all so quick,” Reinfeldt said. “You didn’t get the opportunity to evaluate them the way you did in the past, so some made it because of who they were. This year was so compressed, I think some rookies made it just because the period of inspection and scrutiny wasn’t what it usually was. And that came at the expense of those other guys.”

Draft picks are such a premium commodity. Teams love to gather them, hate to part with them, and believe their scouting system can find them quality with each one.

Linebacker Barrett Ruud moved from the Buccaneers to the Titans as a free agent this season. He sees building your own guys as the central theme when it comes to opportunity these days.

“Teams want to develop the guy they brought up,” Ruud said. “Sometimes you’ve got a young guy and maybe it’s his first chance to start a game. You bring in someone to start in front of him and his confidence is shattered.

“I don’t think it’s a reflection so much of how somebody got cut. I think it’s more a reflection of a team wanting to develop a guy they brought in.”

A lot of sports talk radio shows call it "Over-reaction Monday." It’s fitting, especially early in the season. Some thoughts on what we shouldn’t be over-reacting to, and what might be OK to say out loud.

Houston Texans

Don’t over-react: To the idea that the Texans are so good running the ball that they can just plug anyone into their backfield. Yes, the Texans are deep at the spot. When Arian Foster pulled out with a lingering or re-aggravated hamstring issue, Ben Tate went over 100 yards again. Tate’s hardly just anyone. He was a second-round pick in 2010.

Indianapolis Colts

Do over-react: To the idea that the Colts without Peyton Manning simply are not very good. I know Kerry Collins has been bad, but where is the better alternative? Curtis Painter hasn’t miraculously gotten good in a few weeks on the bench. It may just be the start of one of those years. Indianapolis hosts Kansas City in Week 5. With Pittsburgh at home and a trip to Tampa Bay first, the Colts could be waiting for the Chiefs for their best chance to break into the win column.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Don’t over-react: To the idea that David Garrard would have somehow had the Jaguars in a tighter game with the Jets. That Luke McCown was terrible against New York offers no positive commentary on Garrard. Coach Jack Del Rio and GM Gene Smith felt certain McCown was BETTER than Garrard at the end of the preseason. A week ago, McCown played well enough to win. That will be considered as the Jaguars decide whether to start McCown or Blaine Gabbert Sunday in Carolina.

Tennessee Titans

Don’t over-react: To the idea that Kenny Britt is one of the NFL’s top receivers. He’s been great through two weeks, and I understand how exciting it is to see the Titans with a big-time downfield receiver. He may be on the path that gets him to elite status. But I need to see some long-term consistency before I start grouping him with the likes of Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Roddy White and Larry Fitzgerald.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Mario Williams’ transition to linebacker is good so far, writes john McClain.

Confidence is one heck of a drug, says Jeffrey Martin.

David Anderson is one of the receivers the Texans will look at today, says McClain.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are ready to move on after a terrible start, says Mike Chappell.

Reggie Wayne thinks if the Colts can stay in third-and-manageable on offense they will be OK, says Phil Richards.

Bill Polian is talking about looking for Peyton Manning’s heir.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Luke McCown executed the plan and drew praise for it, says Vito Stellino.

Aaron Kampman’s return remains on hold, says Tania Ganguli.

David Garrard doesn’t want to be a temporary fix, says Ganguli.

Tennessee Titans

“You don’t throw everything away after one game because certain things didn’t work out the way you’d hoped,” says Mike Munchak. Jim Wyatt’s story.

Chris Johnson will get more carries against the Ravens, says Wyatt.

Luke McCown came out of Sunday’s win over the Titans at EverBank Field talking tempo.

“We were breaking the huddle, we were getting to the line of scrimmage quick and getting plays off and getting back into the huddle and getting another play called real quick,” he said. “That always lends itself to putting pressure on the defense and sometimes it gives you a little hint as to what front they’re playing, what kind of scheme so to speak of what you’re going to get.”

Crisp tempo helps keep an offense on the balls of it’s feet, it helps it build on a good play and recover from a bad one. And when the defense on the other side is not having a good day, it makes them feel it more.

Reading between the lines, tempo was not something that the Jaguars felt like was working in their favor while David Garrard was at the helm.

“Tempo, change in tempo, is something we worked on,” Jack Del Rio told Jacksonville media Monday.

“No huddle, we call red ball, is something we worked on. It really wasn’t a case where we got to a lot of it yesterday but deep shots and red ball and no huddle and some of those things are things that we’ve worked on.

“Yesterday I thought there were some good examples of getting to the line and having some tempo plays that were first-sound type deals and then there were others were you got to the line and then use double cadence or checked it. So I think we used it all and I think that’s one of the strengths that Luke brings is his command of the offense and the ability to do those things.”

Maurice Jones-Drew was happy the Jaguars won, of course. But he was honest too: He was upset the Jaguars put him on a pitch count and didn’t think Jack Del Rio needed to worry about how much he played.

Jones-Drew is coming off offseason knee surgery and a very limited training camp and preseason.

He was honest with Del Rio and the press about being upset, but also urged that his comments not be turned into a big story. I’ve given him a hard time about saying stuff and then backing off regarding both Jay Cutler and David Garrard.

But I am with him here.

He had 24 carries for 97 yards and a score, then spent a lot of time on the sidelines. Deji Karim had 14 carries for 33 yards.

“Sometimes you’re not happy in a game because you want to play more,” MJD said.

Isn’t that what you want to hear from your best offensive player? I much prefer it to him being understanding about not playing as much as he wanted to or felt he could.

To me, as per his request, end of story.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 1:

Don’t overrate David Garrard. A lot of people seem to think that the Jaguars' cutting Garrard makes them a less dangerous team. I assure you, they are not thinking that way. They will be the same run-heavy offense. The Jaguars, who play host to Tennessee on Sunday, will look to an upgraded defense to be physical and bottle up Chris Johnson. And they expect a crisper performance from Luke McCown than they would have had from Garrard, who struggled throughout the preseason. If McCown doesn’t have a good day, let’s hold the talk that makes it sound as though Garrard would have played like Johnny Unitas.

Can the Texans' running backs help out blocking? Their underrated offensive line has its hands full against the Colts' pass rush, which features Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. But if Arian Foster is out or limited, the team could lean more on Derrick Ward for his experience than on Ben Tate for his potential. Tate ran great in the preseason, but can he take on a defender determined to bring down Matt Schaub?

Unproven pass rushes in Jacksonville. The Jaguars still haven’t solved their pass-rush issues. Aaron Kampman is back from knee surgery and Matt Roth is a solid addition. We know their middle guys can get push, but who’s going to make Matt Hasselbeck uncomfortable? Same goes for the Titans. Derrick Morgan is out, so Malcolm Sheppard will be in the mix at end behind William Hayes, Jason Jones (who's been hurt) and Dave Ball. They’re working with a more disciplined scheme to be sure they stop the run, but can those guys bother McCown working more technique than speed?

Spotlight on Kerry Collins. The whole football world is watching to see what the Colts look like without Peyton Manning. We’ve talked a lot about Collins' protection and how he’s picked up the system. But what kind of feel has he developed for his targets? Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie and Joseph Addai make up a very reliable quartet that knows how to be in the right spots and get open. Collins didn’t have a crew like that during his time with the Titans. Does he have a feel for the talent?

Unveiling the 3-4. Wade Phillips is a master at turning around defenses, but he’s had a shorter time frame with this new group. Surely there are elements of what the Texans will do that they did not show in the preseason. Phillips’ defenses have fared great against Collins. As the Texans look to extend that streak of success, end Antonio Smith could be a big factor. He’ll probably be working against Joe Reitz and Jeff Saturday.

Ten questions worth pondering about the Colts without Peyton Manning:

1. Who’s under the most pressure?

The obvious answer is Kerry Collins, but if the expectations are unreasonable for the 39-year-old quarterback, that’s not on him. He can still be effective, but consistency is an issue and he tends to start games slowly. That’s a problem for the Colts, who are built to jump to leads and let defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis pursue quarterbacks who are trying to throw to catch up. Those successful two-minute drills that Manning has run at the end of a half or a game won't happen as often with Collins.

2. What will we learn about Colts head coach Jim Caldwell and offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen?

Jokes about Manning coaching the team tend to be over the top. But he certainly makes more pre-snap decisions on the field than any other quarterback in the league. Even if Collins winds up making some of those reads and determinations, Caldwell and Christensen must show they can plan effectively for him in a way they weren’t always responsible for with Manning at the controls.

3. Is the line ready to play better?

A lot of people not that familiar with how the Colts play look at the sack numbers (16 allowed in 2010) and judge Indianapolis to be one of the league’s best pass-protecting offensive lines. It’s not. The Colts spent their top two draft picks on offensive linemen Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana. Castonzo is slated to start at left tackle, and left guard Joe Reitz has not played in an NFL regular-season game. Ryan Diem appears to be moving from right tackle to right guard as Jeff Linkenbach, undrafted last year, takes Diem’s long-time spot. Collectively, the group must offer Collins reliable protection and block more effectively for a running game that must do more.

4. How does Collins handle blitzes and pass pressure?

Teams typically paid for blitzing Manning, but defenses will certainly try to do more to get to Collins. He didn’t move well when he was younger, and it’s certainly not a big piece of his game now. He’s not afraid to throw it away and live for another day. And former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher, who coached Collins the past five years in Tennessee and game-planned against the Colts twice a year from 2002 through 2010, said Indianapolis will be equipped to counter extra blitz pressure with screens to Joseph Addai.

5. Who has a chance to shine?

Even if Manning were around, I expected the Colts to try to get the ball to rookie running back Delone Carter in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He’s different than fellow running backs Addai and Donald Brown and seems like a player who can find a tough yard even when things don’t get blocked as they should. That offensive line can get a lot of attention if it plays well. And Brody Eldridge, more of a blocking tight end, could see more time if the Colts feel like they must sacrifice three-wide sets for additional protection or run-game help.

6. Can the defense help more?

As we mentioned, it’s a team built to pass rush against an offense that must throw. The Colts have not been a good run-stopping team and the defense didn’t fare well at it in the preseason. Indianapolis is slated to face a bunch of top-level backs. We could see two veteran additions at end, Jamaal Anderson and Tyler Brayton, get chances to contribute on run downs and help keep Freeney and Mathis fresher to rush. Rookie tackle Drake Nevis can help too. Overall, the philosophy of limiting big plays and making teams move it a little at a time has worked well enough. It’s not like they can make a dramatic change in it now.

7. What about special teams?

It’s been a neglected area for much of the Manning era. The offense is good at driving the ball down the field and doesn’t often get a good return to set up field position. While Manning makes big dollars, so do the team’s other stars: Freeney, Mathis, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Gary Brackett and Antoine Bethea. Dedicating a lot of pay to that core means the team doesn’t have a lot of veteran backups, and veteran backups make up the backbone of good special teams units. This also is an area where things can’t really be changed because they are dictated by personnel.

8. What if Collins goes down?

Curtis Painter, a sixth-round draft pick from Purdue in 2009, is the third quarterback. The team is very defensive about him, but it’s an organization that works very hard to defend draft picks. But the fact is, in his limited regular-season action and in the preseason, Painter has been ineffective. If the Colts lost their backup quarterback and had to turn to Painter, they’d be in giant trouble. I can’t see Indianapolis going after another veteran now. David Garrard, released by the Jaguars this week, should find a job better than what the Colts might have to offer. I don’t see Indy being interested in him anyway.

9. Will the offense slow down?

As experienced and as wily as Collins may be, it’s difficult to imagine him being able to play at Manning’s pace, snapping the ball to catch defenses with too many men on the field or flapping his arms while changing, or pretending to change, what’s about to unfold. The Colts, however, benefit from locking defenses into personnel groupings. If Indy doesn’t huddle or take the time to substitute, the opponent can’t either. Whether they can, or want to try to, maintain that as an advantage remains to be seen. If they huddle more, they allow defenses to adjust more, too.

10. If the season is a total bomb, would they want Stanford QB Andrew Luck in the draft?

The deal Manning just signed is for five years. But if Indianapolis vice chairman Bill Polian had a chance at a guy who’s regarded as the best college quarterback to come out since, perhaps, Manning, I don’t see how the Colts wouldn’t take him and let him learn under Manning. But a four-year wait for Luck to play couldn’t happen either, and the Colts would have to craft a long-term plan.

You see them in headphones, walking into the stadium, heading from the locker room to the field, as they stretch and run and get ready for kickoff.

Before the iPods are turned off and put away, what’s the last song the Jaguars listen to in order to get in the right frame of mind?

Build a playlist based on this if you dare:

Linebacker Paul Posluszny: Korn, “Freak on a Leash”

“It gives you that pre-game chill that makes you feel invincible.”

Safety Dawan Landry: Phil Collins, “In the Air Tonight.”

“That’s universal.”

Defensive end Austen Lane: Korn, “Got the Life” and Linkin Park, “Bleed it Out”

“They are just really loud, fast-paced songs. It just gets me jacked up, puts me in the zone. After I listen to those two songs, I’m good to go.”

Receiver Jason Hill: DMX, “Dogs for Life”

“I play a lot of slow music to begin with, but when Jack [Del Rio] says ‘Hey, we’ve got a couple minutes,’ that’s when I turn on DMX. That song lets me know the guys around me have my back, I’ve got their back and we’re ready to roll.”

Tight end Zach Miller: 2Pac, “Ambitionz az a Ridah”

“It’s game time, it’s time to go. It makes you feel good. It makes you feel nice and cool.”

Linebacker Clint Session: Geopale, “Closer to my Dream”

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert: Eminem, “Lose Yourself”

“I just like to listen to it. Calms you down, gets you in your own little zone.”

Cornerback Rashean Mathis: Chris Tomlin, “Our God”

“Just an awesome song letting you know how great our God is. Also, it says if our God is with us, then who can be against us.”

Receiver Mike Thomas: Meek Millz featuring Rick Ross, “I’m a Boss”

“That one plays pretty consistently in the locker room.”

Right tackle Eben Britton: 2Pac, "All Eyez on Me"

"Always gets me fired up to step on the field and go to work."

Fullback Greg Jones: Phil Collins, In the Air Tonight”

“It just sets the tone and gets you in the right state of mind.”

Punter Matt Turk: “All my Christian music puts things into perspective, takes the pressure off. It calms you but it does get you pumped up at the same time.”

Linebacker Daryl Smith: “Maybe Young Jeezy or some Rick Ross. No steady song. I hit shuffle and just ride. And then if somebody puts something on in the locker room, I’m good with that.”

Cornerback Derek Cox: "I actually don't listen to music before games. My head is clearer that way."