Colts looking for better showing against Bills

INDIANAPOLIS -- After a pair of disappointing performances the last two weeks, the Indianapolis Colts are hoping for a better showing when the Buffalo Bills come to the RCA Dome Saturday night.\nIndianapolis is 1-1 in the preseason. The Colts had a come-from-behind 21-17 win over San Diego on the road two weeks ago and dropped a 31-7 decision to the New York Jets Saturday.\nThe Colts have surprisingly struggled to move the football so far, with the first-string offense scoring just one touchdown on six possessions. They have turned the ball over three times on two fumbles and an interception and have committed 15 penalties.\nIndianapolis this week wants to begin to smooth out the rough edges and start preparing for the season opener Sept. 9 at New England. Backups are expected to play most of the final preseason game Sept. 3 at Cincinnati.\n"We have to get much sharper and get ourselves playing a little bit more consistently," coach Tony Dungy said. "There are some things we can build."\nDungy hopes to have both his first-team offensive and defensive units play the entire first half and probably into the third quarter.\n"Our (offensive) starters will definitely go through the first half. We want to have them come out and make the adjustments at halftime and get into the third quarter, and then we'll see what happens from there," he said.\nHe said backup running back Dominic Rhodes needs to get back in the flow of the offense.\n"I'd like to get him 10 to 12 carries where he really gets a sense of how he is," Dungy said. "We wanted to do that in the first two games, but not being totally healthy we weren't quite ready. So if we can get him the ball some, that would be good."\nRhodes, who had surgery on his right knee two years ago, appears to be back to the form that he displayed as a rookie in 2001 when he rushed for 1,104 yards. He has sat out the first two preseason games nursing a strained groin.\n"It's just getting him ready to go for the regular season. He's going to be a big part of what we do and you just would hate to have him go into the regular season with only one or two carries in the preseason," Dungy said.\nEdgerrin James will most likely start the Buffalo game before giving way to Rhodes and undrafted rookies Ran Carthon and Daniel Davis.\nFor his part, quarterback Peyton Manning just wants to get some good work in against a Bills defense that caused the Colts problems in a 17-14 Indianapolis win last year.\n"This game gives us another chance to get better and work on some new things and see some different guys in there," Manning said. "It will be nice to get Dominic back in the lineup and get him in there maybe with the first-team (offensive) line and get him some carries."\nHe said receivers Brad Pyatt and Aaron Moorehead would have to get more work as they try to replace the injured Troy Walter.\nWalters is expected to miss the next three months after breaking his arm against the Jets last week. Moorehead has been sidelined since the San Diego game with a sore shoulder. Tight end Dallas Clark, who did not play against New York because of a sprained ankle, is also expected back.\nWide receiver Reggie Wayne was held out of Wednesday's practice after straining his heel a day earlier. He should be back Thursday and playing this week.\nRunning back Brian Allen has been bothered by a sore left knee for most of training camp. Dungy announced Wednesday that Allen had minor surgery this week in Palo Alto, Calif., and will be out for at least the next four weeks.\nDefensively, Indianapolis continues to show its share of growing pains with several new starters. Opponents are averaging 324 yards in total offense over the first two preseason games, 93.9 yards on the ground.\nDungy said Buffalo would be a good test of the Colts' run defense since the Bills have rushed about 70 times in their first two preseason games.\nFree safety Idrees Bashir's playing status remains up in the air as he continues to recover from rib cartilage damage. Strong safety Mike Doss was held out of the Jets game due to a sore Achilles but has practiced this week.\nCornerback Donald Strickland is also expected back, and Joseph Jefferson, a third-year cornerback, continues to be bothered by a sore right knee.