Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning (18) and coach Tony Dungy are seen on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 34-14. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Story Created:
Nov 10, 2008 at 7:27 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Nov 10, 2008 at 7:27 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts have the look of a team on the verge of turning its season around.
The Colts got off to a shaky 3-4 start, but back-to-back wins over New England and Pittsburgh have coach Tony Dungy's team back in contention for a playoff spot.
Dungy said Monday that while the Colts' 24-20 victory Sunday over the Steelers probably was the team's best overall effort of the season, it was a showing that would need repeating over the last seven games of the regular season.
He wants to start that run for a playoff spot by winning a third straight game on Sunday against the Houston Texans (3-6).
"It's hard to, you know, win two, lose one, win one, lose one and win enough games," Dungy said. "We've got a chance, coming back home, to get win No. 2 of the second half and build on it. And it will be critical to have a good performance and play better than we did against Pittsburgh."
While the Colts haven't been mathematically eliminated from the AFC South divisional hunt, the Tennessee Titans — now with a 9-0 record — will be difficult to catch.
Dungy is stressing the importance of winning this week against the Texans. The Colts rallied from a 20-10 fourth-quarter deficit for a 31-27 win at Houston on Oct. 5, so he knows the road to the postseason doesn't get any easier.
"It's going to be (the Texans') last stand, so we've got to be ready to defend our home turf and see if we can get on a three-game winning streak," he said.
The Colts, however, saw their two top receivers — Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne — get banged up against the Steelers.
Harrison, an eight-time Pro Bowl pick, suffered what was described by team officials as a concussion during the fourth quarter of the Pittsburgh game. But he was able to return for the next Colts' offensive possession and finish the game.
Dungy said that Harrison was fine despite the concussion.
"We're very, very cautious about that," Dungy said. "We've had guys out for a long time with concussions."
Harrison had three catches for 37 yards against the Steelers, but wasn't able to come up with at least three other passes from Peyton Manning where it appeared that he had gotten behind the Pittsburgh secondary.
The Colts coach dismisses the suggestion that the 36-year-old Harrison is slowing down.
"If he wasn't getting open and wasn't getting behind people, I'd be concerned," Dungy said. "But every game we seem to get him behind people. We've taken those for granted. I think we'll hit him in the future hopefully."
Wayne, meanwhile, could be limited in practice this week with an ankle sprain he suffered Sunday. Dungy said the injury was minor.
"He's gotten banged up a little bit the last two weeks," Dungy said. "But my sense is he'll be ready on Sunday."