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Thoughts on the Indianapolis Colts' 23-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium:

What it means: The Colts are capable of competing with a good team even without Peyton Manning. But they also have little room for error. They got a giant error from left tackle Anthony Castonzo and quarterback Curtis Painter in the fourth quarter, as James Harrison stripped the quarterback and Troy Polamalu picked the ball up on a bounce and scored. And while Indianapolis pulled even, the Colts couldn't keep the Steelers from marching to a game-winning field goal at the end that dropped them to 0-3.

Things I liked: The Colts ran the ball far better than many of us thought they could (for 97 yards) and stopped the run far better than they usually do (allowing 67 yards). It makes one wonder why they didn’t fare better in both departments in their first two games. Also makes one wonder about their commitment to both moving forward.

Big question lingering for me: Why did the Colts use Dallas Clark to help block Harrison so much early on? Clark is a pass-catcher first and foremost. Brody Eldridge is a far better blocking tight end. Yet the Colts put Clark in position to block the fierce Pittsburgh outside linebacker multiple times.

Stars: It’s easy to say the Colts need to rely on Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis in the absence of Manning. But a lot of other game elements have to go right for those two to dictate things. They did against the Steelers, with incredible rushing efforts and a strip sack each. Freeney also had a sack that took Pittsburgh out of field goal range.

Blame and credit: Painter was forced into action when Kerry Collins left the game with a concussion. Painter missed a wide open Pierre Garcon on a stop-and-go that beat Ike Taylor and would have been a long touchdown. And Painter didn’t sense Polamalu bearing down to strip the ball deep in the Colts’ own end. But he did orchestrate an excellent drive that produced the touchdown that pulled things to 20-20 with 5:13 remaining in the game.

Mea culpa, kinda: I wrote this week about how America was about to learn just how bad the Colts were with the first of their five prime-time appearances. They are not good. But they played a pretty good, and very entertaining, game.

What’s next: More quarterback uncertainty as Collins recovers from a concussion and the Colts sort through Painter’s performance. If Collins is out for the Oct. 3 "Monday Night Football" Game in Tampa, who’s the team’s second quarterback?

Call me indecisive. Call me a homer.

During a week when Peyton Manning and the Colts have dominated the blog, I don't like that three Indianapolis guys happened to be among the best tweeters and had to go atop the new edition of the NFL Twindex, believe me.

I can't worry as much about indecision or perceived homerism as I need to stay true to the game here: sorting through a week's worth of NFL tweets and rating the best. A chance to judge!

So the Colts have extreme representation here. Next week it may be your team. Next week it may be you.

Please point out any tweet of note. We're following 1,066 accounts, it's hard to see everything. Find me at @ESPN_AFCSouth and @PaulKuharsky.

A lot of you have wanted to see “Power Rankings” and “finale” in the same sentence for some time. Congratulations, today’s your day.

We wrap our offseason, conversation-starting series with the crown jewel: The top 10 best players in the NFL.

I represent the AFC South aggressively in Dan Graziano’s piece on the voting results and in the attached video.

Peyton Manning finished second to Tom Brady. You’ll hear my familiar refrain about Manning: He’s simply asked to do more than anyone in the league, and he does it very well.

Feel free to look back at this post from last summer, where I respond to the basic complaints of Manning’s critics.

None of this is meant as a slight to Brady, who’s obviously also a superb player.

I do think we blew it in the overall results. I completely understand being quarterback heavy. I probably could have and should have been more so. But chasing those quarterbacks down is a monstrous element of the game, and to not have at least one pass-rusher make this list is a mistake.

At any rate, here is my ballot. I remind you it’s just one eighth of the results that you’ll find in Graziano’s fine piece.

1. Peyton Manning
2. Tom Brady
3. Drew Brees
4. Aaron Rodgers
5. Adrian Peterson
6. Chris Johnson
7. Andre Johnson
8. Troy Polamalu
9. Clay Matthews
10. DeMarcus Ware

I don’t see every AFC South game from start to finish.

So I certainly don’t see every NFL game start to finish.

And I think to really have a sense for and to appreciate good safety play, you need to see guys play regularly to have a full understanding of them.

I know Antoine Bethea is a first-rate safety, a dependable guy in the Colts' scheme who could play centerfield on my team. I know Michael Griffin can be really good, but is not consistently dependable enough.

If you’re on the highlights weekly like Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed (when they are healthy), you’re easily identified. Otherwise things can be a lot more subtle.

All of that is my way of saying you can probably find a dozen reasonable arguments with which to shred my ballot.

First though, here’s James Walker’s summary of where we wound up and the safety Power Rankings results.

I’m in that piece talking about Bob Sanders, but my response to a question on Griffin did not make it.

So here's my answer to how he could finish sixth without any points out of his division's blogger:

“Griffin can be very good, but he's very inconsistent. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2008, then had a terrible 2009: Bad angles and missed tackles galore. In 2010, he rebounded, played well during the Titans' good start and seemed to be back on track. Then he was a big contributor to the brutal finish. He can let off-the-field stuff distract him and handles criticism horribly.”

I felt I could find 10 guys who were steadier players, and steadiness in a safety is crucial.

Bethea is certainly one of the 10, and a 10th-place tie is too low for him.

I respectfully ask my peers who they think was spearheading the pass defense for the AFC South-winning Colts last season when the starting corners (Kelvin Hayden and Jerraud Powers) missed 11 games, the starting strong safety (Sanders) missed 15 and the second-string strong safety (Melvin Bullitt) missed 12.

I’m sure, in turn, some of the other bloggers can come at me for not having the full picture on one of their players.

Anyway, here then is the one-eighth of those final results that came from yours truly.

1. Troy Polamalu
2. Ed Reed
3. Nick Collins
4. Ryan Clark
5. Adrian Wilson
6. Antoine Bethea
7. Eric Weddle
8. Eric Berry
9. LaRon Landry
10. Antrel Rolle

» NFC Draft Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: History in the spot.

Houston Texans

2010: OT Anthony Davis (49ers)

2009: LB Aaron Maybin (Bills)

2008: DB Leodis McKelvin (Bills)

2007: LB Patrick Willis (49ers)

2006: QB Jay Cutler (Broncos)

2005: LB DeMarcus Ware (Cowboys)

2004: QB Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)

Last year at No. 11, the 49ers got Rutgers offensive tackle Davis, who started every game on the right side. Maybin, taken in the spot in 2009, is on the hot seat in Buffalo, where he’s not come close to expectations. In 2007, the 49ers got the excellent middle linebacker Willis 11th, when the Texans took defensive tackle Amobi Okoye the spot before. The verdict on Cutler is still to be determined, while Ware is a superstar and Ben Roethlisberger has won two Super Bowls. Other hits since the NFL-AFL merger include Michael Irvin, Dwight Freeney and Leon Searcy. Other misses: Ron Dayne, Michael Booker.

Indianapolis Colts

2010: WR Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)

2009: WR Percy Harvin (Vikings)

2008: RB Felix Jones (Cowboys)

2007: QB Brady Quinn (Browns)

2006: LB Manny Lawson (49ers)

2005: WR Mark Clayton (Ravens)

2004: QB J.P. Losman (Bills)

Last year’s 22nd pick, Denver receiver Thomas, caught 22 passes and scored two touchdowns. Minnesota grabbed receiver Harvin in the spot in 2009 and he’s one of the game’s most dynamic players already. Quinn didn’t cut it in Cleveland and ranks third now in Denver, and Losman didn’t solve Buffalo’s quarterback issues. The last time the Colts were in this spot, they took receiver Andre Rison in 1989. He played only one season for the franchise, but in 12 years he amassed more than 10,000 receiving yards and caught 84 touchdowns.

Jacksonville Jaguars

2010: DE Derrick Morgan (Titans)

2009: LB Larry English (Chargers)

2008: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Cardinals)

2007: DT Justin Harrell (Packers)

2006: CB Jason Allen (Dolphins)

2005: DT Travis Johnson (Texans)

2004: OT Shawn Andrews (Eagles)

Morgan went 16th to Tennessee last year, but suffered a season-ending knee injury early on. Rodgers-Cromartie had a big rookie season in 2008 as the Cardinals went to the Super Bowl. Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu was a huge find at the spot in 2003 and Jevon Kearse set a rookie record for sacks and led Tennessee to the Super Bowl in 1999. But others in the recent past like Allen, Houston's Johnson and Cleveland running back William Green hardly lived up to expectations. Dan McGwire, a big quarterback bust for Seattle, also went in the spot in 1991. But anyone thinking the Jaguars can’t hit a home run should know that a guy rated by many as the greatest player of all time, Jerry Rice, was selected 16th in 1985.

Tennessee Titans

2010: LB Rolando McClain (Raiders)

2009: OT Eugene Monroe (Jaguars)

2008: DE Derrick Harvey (Jaguars)

2007: DE Jamaal Anderson (Falcons)

2006: S Donte Whitner (Bills)

2005: S Antrel Rolle (Cardinals)

2004: CB DeAngelo Hall (Falcons)

McClain went to Oakland eighth last season and was second on the Raiders in tackles his rookie year. Jacksonville had the spot the two years before that. The Jaguars think they got a long-term left tackle in Monroe, but Harvey might be done already. Jordan Gross is a topflight tackle for Carolina and receiver Plaxico Burress was a Super Bowl hero for the Giants. But receiver David Terrell busted for the Bears, receiver David Boston didn’t fare much better in Arizona and running back Tim Biakabutuka was a dud for the Panthers. Sam Adams’ long career clogging up the middle as a defensive tackle started in Seattle. The last time the Titans had this pick, they landed Hall of Fame guard Mike Munchak, who’s now the team’s coach.

Reading the coverage ...

An AFC South preview from Andrew Lawrence.

Houston Texans

David Anderson’s latest column focuses on pressure.

The Texans have hit a record in season-ticket sales, says John McClain.

Dan Orlovsky will start the preseason finale, says McClain.

A replay of McClain’s chat.

On Arian Foster’s emergence as the lead back.

Matt Musil spoke to Owen Daniels, Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans and Matt Schaub during Celebrity Server Night at Morton’s Steakhouse.

Good news/bad news on the Texans from Khaled Elsayed.

It’s put-up time for Gary Kubiak, says Alan Burge.

Houston Diehards thinks the Texans showed way too much against the Cowboys.

Indianapolis Colts

The move of the umpire is a good one, says Bob Kravitz. He and Michael Wilbon have made a good point in this debate: rule after rule has protected the quarterback. It’s time for them to give a little on protecting someone else now.

The preseason finale is a biggie for return candidates Devin Moore, Brandon James and Ray Fisher, says Mike Chappell.

Jerry Hughes is likely to get good work against the Bengals, says Phil Richards.

John Oehser covers the umpire, the receivers, Jeff Saturday and the run game.

Good news/bad news on the Colts from Elsayed.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Special teams are expecting big things, says Tania Ganguli.

Injuries thinned out the Jags at center, says Vito Stellino.

Stellino and Ganguli preview the preseason finale against Atlanta.

Good news/bad news on the Jags from Elsayed.

Vic Ketchman discusses leverage and rates Troy Polamalu as the league’s best tackler.

Tennessee Titans

What do the Titans’ skill guys think about wearing leg pads? Jim Wyatt’s story.

Chris Simms sees a 50-50 chance to stick, say Jim Wyatt and John Glennon. I admire Simms’ optimism.

Tony Brown is ready to roll, says Glennon.

Defensive line depth has been revealed in the preseason, says David Boclair.

Greed is good for Chris Johnson, says Mike Silver.

Good news/bad news on the Titans from Elsayed.

The Eugene Amano-Leroy Harris combo is proving a good fit, says Mitch Pulley.

We’re late to this, but it’s usually pretty good at stirring up some debate, and since we are stalling until Tuesday night’s schedule release and Thursday night’s draft kickoff…

I present an AFC South-angled look at Mike Silver’s annual ultimate mock draft.

Silver takes the original draft order (undoing trades that took teams out of the first round) and picks one through 32 with everyone in the world available. Five of those players come from the AFC South, tied for the lead with the AFC North.

Peyton Manning goes first overall to St. Louis, Chris Johnson sixth to Seattle, Dwight Freeney 17th to Carolina, Brian Cushing 18th to Pittsburgh and Andre Johnson 20th to Houston -- isn't it nice that he gets to stay where he is?

The AFC South selections: Adrian Peterson to Jacksonville 10th, Jared Allen to Tennessee 16th, Johnson to Houston 20th and the presumed top pick of next year’s draft, Washington quarterback Jake Locker, to Indianapolis 31st.

I think Peterson’s too redundant for the Jaguars who’ve got Maurice Jones-Drew, so I would take Patrick Willis there.

Allen to the Titans makes sense football-wise, though he’s a little wild for them and with Johnson gone they need a dynamic weapon. How about Andre Johnson?

The Texans might have been tempted to risk losing Andre Johnson in the dozen picks after theirs if they could have had Peterson or Nnamdi Asomugha, but both were gone. Troy Polamalu had to be tempting. (Ed Reed as is simply too old and injury prone and could still retire.)

Locker is a clever pick for the Colts, who need to replace Manning ASAP.

Any thoughts?

	Jason Miller/US Presswire
	Vincent Fuller can't watch after Jeff Reed's game-winning field goal Thursday night.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

PITTSBURGH -- For a good share of opening night at Heinz Field, it sure felt like the Tennessee Titans were in control.

The Pittsburgh Steelers barely tried to run the ball. Tennessee’s defense was finding its way to Ben Roethlisberger. The Titans' offense was effective in spurts and at least gaining position for field goals.

But in a way that felt eerily similar to the Titans’ last game, January’s divisional round playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the scoreboard didn’t reflect the feel of the game.

Titans-Steelers Coverage • Walker: No-huddle saves Steelers • Kuharsky: Titans seeking answers • Rapid Reaction from the game • NFL Nation: Blog posts from game • Game: Steelers win in OT

And in the end when the Titans lost 13-10 in overtime, it was fair to wonder if finishing against a good team is an issue that held up over eight months.

“This team needs learn how to finish then,” linebacker Keith Bulluck said. “Maybe that’s the missing piece then to get over the hump. The last two games, we were in control, had ourselves in position to win and we didn’t come out on top.

“To play great football for that long and not come out on top two games in a row, two pretty big games in a row, it might be something to look at. But that’s something for us as a team to adjust as players.”

When it was over, after I’d made my way through the locker room and fleshed some things out, it still felt like there was one question lingering for each unit.

Offense: Scoring is the obvious issue, but the offense gained position for two makeable first-half field goals that could have changed the complexion of the game. We’ll cover those situations under special teams.

Quarterback Kerry Collins hung in against a super-difficult defense. Running backs Chris Johnson and LenDale White ran it well enough, combining for a functional 3.4 yards a carry. Receivers made plays, too, with Kenny Britt accounting for the game’s longest gain when he slipped free for a 57-yard catch on the Titans’ touchdown drive. Justin Gage scored on a 14-yard throw.

But the upgraded passing game got three catches for 1 yard from former Steeler Nate Washington. It saw Britt misplay a deep ball from Collins. Britt could only watch in vain as Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu made an acrobatic interception.

“I misread the ball when I was coming out. ... I need to make a play on the ball,” Britt said. “It was a great catch by him. A rookie mistake. You learn, ‘if I can’t get it, nobody gets it.’”

Gage, a member of the old guard who stands to be a bigger and more consistent contributor, made some nice plays. But on a third-and-10 from their own 30, the Titans were desperate for a fourth-period conversion just before the two-minute warning. Collins threw for Gage down the middle. The ball was hardly perfect, but Gage got his hands on it. He might have heard safety Tyrone Carter -- who replaced an injured Polamalu -- closing in search of a kill shot. The pass skidded away. A completion there could have set the Titans on course to move down the field for a winning field goal in regulation.

"Anytime you get your hands on the ball, there is a play to be made," Gage said. "If I can touch the ball, I can catch it. I just didn’t come up with it ... I don’t think we showed ourselves to the fullest. I think we showed glimpses of what we can do. We left some plays out there and didn’t finish some drives."

Can they make the clutch catch at the game’s biggest moment?

Defense: The pass rush was spectacular at times and finished with four sacks and eight hits against Roethlisberger.

Defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil said the team rushed four, blitzed and faked, mixing things up to be unpredictable.

“When you bring people, he’s got answers, so are you willing to live with the answers?” Cecil said of the Steelers' quarterback. “We didn’t go one way. We basically tried to play a little bit of both. I thought we were successful for a lot of the game and obviously didn’t get it done late in the game or in overtime because you’ve got to get off the field and we didn’t do that.”

On Pittsburgh's fourth-quarter drive to tie the game at 10-10 and the overtime march to win it, there were some plays where Roethlisberger threw quickly into spaces that didn’t seem to close quickly enough once the ball arrived.

In those two drives, up until to the 22-yard pass to Mike Wallace that set up the winning kick, Roethlisberger’s passes went like this: 7 yards, 5, 9, 3, 10, 15, 8, incomplete, 11, 8, 8, 11 and incomplete.

"It's kind of like a helter-skelter offense where he pretty much baits you to try to make a play to where they can run a route off of it," said Chris Hope, a one-time teammate of Roethlisberger’s.

What’s the answer to the little stuff?

Special teams: Place-kicker Rob Bironas missed a 37-yard field goal attempt wide right. Later, he saw a 31-yard attempt blocked by Aaron Smith.

“I had a field goal blocked and a field goal missed,” Titans head coach Jeff Fisher said, offering more when prompted. On the block there was penetration inside, on the miss the snap was low and despite a good hold Bironas was thrown off, Fisher said.

A team that is built for close games and relishes winning that way needs to be more dependable in such situations. It can’t afford a 28-yard shanked punt by Craig Hentrich in crunch time, either.

Shouldn’t a team with five preseason games of work be sharper in those departments?

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

PITTSBURGH -- A few quick thoughts at the half of what’s been a great 7-7 game.

• After both teams struggled to find the end zone, both got looser in 2-minute scenarios. Tennessee safety Chris Hope bit on two Ben Roethlisberger pump fakes as the Steelers hit two big passes. Then Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark got a bit lost on two big pass plays from Kerry Collins.
• If Troy Polamalu (left knee) and LaMarr Woodley (cramp) don’t come back, obviously that’s a big edge for the Titans. Woodley was classified as probable, Polamalu is now officially out. Both players were out on the Titans’ touchdown drive.
• Kenny Britt got the big gainer of the half, a 57-yard reception where he was wide open on the Titans’ scoring drive. But he had Polamalu take a ball away with an impressive one-handed interception when he thought the pass was getting through and could have broken it up if he had a better sense of things. Later, he failed to come hard out of a break, allowing Ike Taylor to break up the pass.
• I didn’t see if anything led to what looked like a Rob Bironas shank wide right from 37 yards, or who broke down along the line if he wasn’t at fault on the Aaron Smith block of a 31-yarder. But this isn’t the kind of game where anyone can easily make up for six lost points.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Donnie Nickey’s playing the part of Troy Polamalu in practices this week for the Titans, and while the reserve safety is studying the Steelers’ offense, not their defense, he’s also putting a lot into playing the part.

	ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharksy
	Donnie Nickey's helmet wig makes it clear who's playing the role of Steelers safety Troy Polamalu for the scout team.

Here’s my snapshot of his helmet in his locker.

“It’s hairy and very hot, polyester,” Nickey said. “It gets in my mouth, I’ve got these little hairs all over me and my girlfriend is like ‘Who?’ And ‘I’m like, no, no, no, it’s for practice, it’s for work.’”

A year ago strength and conditioning coach Steve Watterson produced the wig for Tuff Harris, the backup safety who drew the assignment before the Titans beat the Steelers 31-14 on Dec. 21.

Harris, recently cut by Tennessee, was signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad.

(To answer the popular question, while the Steelers could be trying to cull information, I think signing a guy recently cut by your opponents usually pays minimal dividends. Who do you think knows more about the Titans’ defense: Pittsburgh coaches who’ve watched hours and hours of film or a guy that played a bit of second-team safety in the preseason? I’ll take the coaches.)

Now, Nickey is trying to imitate Polamalu’s fervor.

“It’s a lot of energy man, just all the disguising, he’s just all over the place,” Nickey said. “He’s got kind of free reign to do whatever he wants because he always ends up in the right place. I’ve seen enough, we came out in the draft the same year, I met him at the combine and stuff and just through watching film I’ve seen him play a lot.

“He’s just such a high-motor guy, so aggressive and absolutely fearless going into anybody. I just try to be that a little bit. I kind of run out of energy at the end of practice.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Ahmard Hall has knocked plenty of people onto their butts in his football career. But when I talked to him in late June about the block he's most proud of, it wasn't a pancake he pointed to.

Here's what the Titans fullback told me:

	Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
	Ahmard Hall (45) didn't pick out one of his pancake blocks as the one he's most proud of.

"I think the best block I made really wasn't a crushing block. We were playing Pittsburgh last year and we did a fake where I come back around and I really just shielded off [Troy] Polamalu and CJ [Chris Johnson] ran it on in. It was a big play and it gave us a lot of momentum to go ahead and win that game.

"It's really a fake dive to me; I'm faking to the right and CJ is going to the left. They're faking the dive to me, and I am coming back around and I'm looking for the safety or whoever is there; whoever is most dangerous. And Polamalu happened to be in the spot; he's a really heady guy. He was running hard and I was running hard and I got in there and was just able to shield him off and CJ bounced outside of me. I was there just in time just to give him a little shove. I didn't get too much on him; he maybe would have knocked me back. I just slowed up enough, got myself in great position and didn't try to kill him. I probably would have whiffed if I did that.

"Coach [Earnest] Byner was just telling me it was a great job. A lot of times people want fullbacks to make crushing blocks or pancake blocks, but sometimes if you just know where you are supposed to be, use your mind and be mentally strong and just get there and shield a guy off, somebody like CJ with his blazing speed, it can get him in."

Home run, Ahmard; just the sort of play-in-detail I was looking for when I decided to try this series of entries.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Early this week I invited you to join me in playing a little fantasy football and asked this: If the Houston Texans could add any one player in the NFL, who would the best choice be?

The Texans' biggest needs are on defense -- I believe along the defensive line where Mario Williams doesn't have enough help and at safety where they need a playmaking and stabilizing force.

Before I make a pick on behalf of the team, let's look at what some of you had to say:

Mad Mike in Houston: Paul: If the Texans could add any one player it would have to be Troy Polamalu. Ed Reed is very good on the backend with picks and getting the most out of them, but Troy has a big effect in all aspects of the defense. Haynesworth is an obvious choice, but at a cost of 10m per year, I think with Amobi Okoye and another DT could be okay. Not diminishing Alberts value just based on my thoughts. Troy or someone like that would have the biggest impact for the Texans. Thanks.....MM

Robby in League City, TX: Albert Haynesworth would be hard to pass up, but Polamalu would do wonders for their shaky secondary that badly needs some help. If any change needs to be made on the defensive line, my vote is for a defensive end opposite Mario, possibly a Julius Peppers type that can stop the run as well as improve the pass rush.

Chris in Austin: One player for the Texans... in the entire NFL, very tough choice. I would want someone young who's in or approaching their prime, like Jared Allen (much as I hate him for killing our playoff hopes in 2008). Polamalu is a good choice, and I would also love to have Bart Scott as an OLB. He'd translate well to a 4-3 with his cover skills - and he'd bring something the Texans are sorely lacking IMO - a nasty attitude.

Unknown in Houston: It's already hard enough to choose from the options you gave in your blog. The Texans need a play-making Safety but they also need an additional interior defensive lineman. I think that Coach Kubiak and GM Smith should draft BJ Raji at DT in the first round and Rashad Johnson will in the second given both are available. With that being said, I would still go after and get an additional defensive lineman. I would love to see the Texans pick up Haynesworth, Peppers, or Rocky Bernard who I think is under appreciated because he plays in Seattle. These additions could turn this Texans defense around allowing players like Mario, Okoye, and DeMeco to make plays. Of course, this is a dream for a Texans fan because we are just waiting to be a playoff team year in and year out. I quick thought also is for the Texans to resign Dunta and still try to go after Nmandi in Oakland. Thanks

Kevin in Portland: Paul- In regards to the Texans +1 question, I have an idea. While a play making safety would be awesome (like your suggestions on Polamalu and Reed) I think a defensive tackle would bring equal benefits, and would make our existing secondary look a lot better. However, Haynesworth is not the mad on the top of my list. Give me Haloti Ngata. I know he plays in a 3-4, but she has shown tremendous pass rush ability, is a space eater against the run, and is younger than Haynesworth. Also, with him, you avoid the character issues. I know it is a pipe dream, but what do you think

leonwa: The Texans have ignored its defensive backfield almost as much as it ignored its offensive line needs. A dynamic do-it-all like Polamalu would be a major upgrade.

Good comments all, and a pretty good consensus that a defensive lineman or safety can add the most.

This whole idea started with Titans fans craving a guy like Larry Fitzgerald while seeing him elevate his game in the playoffs.

With a dose of that same sort of playoff success working in his favor, I'm going Polamalu over Reed.

In the AFC South Blog's Plus One, the Texans select Troy Polamalu.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Texans receiver Andre Johnson is a player the other three teams in the AFC South would love to have. But who is it that Houston would covet?

Given a choice of any one player in the NFL, who would give them the biggest boost?

It would be hard to look to the offensive side of the ball considering the Texans' progress there and the deficiencies on defense.

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth will be a popular choice. Putting a big-time tackle on a line where Mario Williams needs help will be a priority.

But my early thinking is that a premier safety might be the best way to go. Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu could do a lot to settle the back end of the defense and provide a model and a leader to follow.

I invite you to chime in -- with comments here or notes to the mailbag. After I see what you have to say, I will make a plus-one selection for the Texans by week's end.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky and James Walker

The Steelers' visit to Nashville Sunday for a game against the Titans is just the kind of late-season game the league, and the networks, love. On the line, the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

Our AFC South blogger, Paul Kuharsky and AFC North blogger, James Walker, will both be at the game. As part of the build-up, they went back and forth on a variety of game-related topics for a joint venture shared by their two pages.

Paul Kuharsky: Sunday's giant AFC showdown features two starting quarterbacks I'd call tough, but Ben Roethlisberger and Kerry Collins are different kinds of tough. Every time I've seen pieces of Steelers games this year, I've seen Big Ben throwing passes with defenders hanging off his limbs or dusting himself off as he gathered himself after a hit. Kerry Collins isn't so sturdy tough; he's more life-experience and game-smart tough. Where Roethlisberger will stand in as long as it takes, sometimes too long, Collins' internal clock tells him to get rid of the ball or give up on a play and live for the next. Watching them and how they react to what two very good defenses throw at them will be one of the best story lines of this game.

Tennessee vs. Pittsburgh -- Intel Report: Titans vs. Steelers -- Power Rankings: Steelers 1st, Titans 2nd -- Video: Can Titans win without Haynesworth? -- Podcast: Mort analysis -- Podcast: Football Today

James Walker: The physical ailments that Roethlisberger (shoulder, thumb) has dealt with this season are well-documented. But his mental toughness should be noted as well. Roethlisberger never gets down. I've seen several games this year where he cannot make a significant play for three-and-a-half quarters but keeps his head in the game for the key moments in the fourth quarter. That was the case in the two wins against the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. Roethlisberger has a certain mental toughness and clutch factor that permeates Pittsburgh's entire team. The Steelers play very well from behind and they never feel they are out of it.

PK: I've been thinking in the weeks leading up to this matchup that while the Titans would have problems moving the ball against the Steelers, Tennessee's biggest strength -- its ability to rush the passer with only its front four -- would line up well with the one thing Pittsburgh isn't very good at -- protecting Roethlisberger. I really expected Albert Haynesworth, while he'd also see one of the guards -- Chris Kemoeatu or Darnell Stapleton -- to make life extremely difficult on center Justin Hartwig. At a much different stage of his career when the two were both Titans, Haynesworth kicked Hartwig in a training-camp fight. Alas, we don't get to see the matchup as Haynesworth is out for the remainder of the regular season. And with end Kyle Vanden Bosch also out, the Titans' pass rush can't be as good as it would have been at full strength. It's a big break for the Steelers.

JW: I agree, Paul. A week ago this would have been a much tougher matchup, but this is no longer a big mismatch. As you mentioned, Tennessee's defense hinges on getting pressure with its front four, and without Haynesworth and Vanden Bosch, it could force the Titans to alter their scheme and compensate by bringing extra defenders more often than they would like. That could compromise the back end and leave more room for Roethlisberger to make plays in the passing game against man-to-man coverage. The absence of Haynesworth and Vanden Bosch also helps Pittsburgh's running game, which hasn't been consistent all season.

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Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Jack Del Rio has mentioned it often this season: the Jaguars failures running the ball are directly connected to their inability to convert third downs.

In its two wins, Jacksonville has converted third downs more than twice as frequently (53.8 percent of the time) than in their three losses (26.3).

In the context of Sunday's loss to Pittsburgh, Del Rio said the Steelers' sure tackling and the play of safety Troy Polamalu combined with the inability to convert third downs killed the Jaguars run game.

"If you don't convert third downs, you don't possess the ball," he said. "If you don't possess the ball, you don't get exposure and opportunities. And so as a result we had 15 carries by our running backs in the game. That's not enough. So that's the difference. That's the difference in why the running game didn't go the way we wanted it to go, the way we need it to go."

Early on the Jaguars got big third-down conversions with a 15-yard David Garrard pass to Matt Jones and an 18-yard pass to Mike Walker. After that it was a combined two-for-13 on third and fourth down.

And it wasn't all third-and-long either.

The run game itself contributed to the lack of opportunities for the run game -- Maurice Jones-Drew came up a yard short on a third-and-two and had a no gain on a third-and-one.