INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts will return to the practice field today with the Houston Texans coming to Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday. Today's news looks at the Pro Bowl play of Sergio Brown, the Colts not resting starters and the Texans mindset down the stretch.
Take a look below at the top pieces fromWednesday, December 11th.**The best Colts player you've never heard of**By: Stephen Holder, Indy Star
Holder's feature on gunner Sergio Brown focuses on the grunt work that must be done for a person in his position.
Holding, pushing, grabbing — Brown's seen it all from opponents determined to keep him away from the football.
When you've gained a well-deserved reputation as one of the NFL's best gunners — key members of punt-coverage teams who line up on the perimeter to get down field to the returner as fast as possible — there are consequences. Opponents rightfully view the Colts' backup safety and special-teamer extraordinaire as a legitimate weapon, and they'll do what they must to stop him.
"There's no rules out there," Brown said. "Every defensive back, every receiver, at some point, you're going to have to do it. And when you do it, you get welcomed to the NFL. There's grabbing, holding, pushing, pulling. And the official that's watching is 30 yards down the field, so they're not going to see everything.
"You have to do whatever you can."
**Struggling Colts won't rest players**By: Mike Wells, AFC South Blog
Chuck Pagano made it very clear earlier this week that the Colts will not be resting any starters down the stretch.
Winning the division -- their first since 2010 -- and clinching a playoff spot can be crossed off the list. Now the Colts will move on to their next goal of making a run in the playoffs. But in order to reach that goal the Colts have a lot of work ahead of them.
They know that, too.
"We have to get better," Colts coach Chuck Pagano bluntly said. "... We're going to address all the areas that need to be addressed and continue to do the things that we feel are necessary in those areas to play winning football."
**For Texans owner, wins trump No. 1 pick**By: Dale Robertson, The Houston Texans
At 2-11 and currently sitting with the worst record in the NFL, Texans fans might differ from their owner in how to approach the final three weeks of the season.
Some fans might be hoping hope the Texans tank their final three games to claim the top draft pick, but owner Bob McNair, in a rare address to the players before their first post-Kubiak practice without Gary Kubiak on Monday, said that's not what he's expecting.
"I believe him," defensive end Antonio Smith said. "You could see the look on his face. I saw the look on his face at the end of the game in Jacksonville, and it was the same pain that we were all feeling.
"You can obviously tell he does not want to lose and does not want to lose on purpose just to have the first-round draft pick and be content with that. He's an owner that loves the team and wants us to be winners, wants the city to at least end the season with some wins, with some confidence, with some juice going into the next year."
