Colts lock up with Texans Saturday

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Manning Bowl had the buildup, the prime-time slot and the nation's attention.\nSunday's game against Houston may not have the intrigue, but the Indianapolis Colts insist it's more important.\n"This is bigger because it's almost as if it counts as two games," three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney said. "It's a division game, and there are the tiebreakers and all the stuff that goes with it."\nThe Colts (1-0), like coach Tony Dungy, believe it's never too early to start considering playoff implications -- even in Week 2.\nDungy routinely informs players about tie-breaking procedures, historical trends and constantly stresses the need to win division games, a point he'll make repeatedly over the next month.\nWith home wins over the Texans this week and Jacksonville next week, the Colts could quickly make a move for their fourth straight division title. They also host Tennessee Oct. 8.\nA sweep could turn the division chase into a one-sided race. The Colts are 20-4 all-time against division foes since moving to the South in 2002, having won 16 of the last 18 and swept the division last year.\nNo team has had more trouble with the Colts than Houston (0-1).\nThe Texans have been perfectly awful in this series. Besides losing eight straight games, they've been outscored 233-109 and allowed two-time MVP Peyton Manning to carve up their defense for 19 touchdowns and a 116 rating.\nMeanwhile, Houston has scored more than 17 points only twice against Indy.\nBut these Texans have new expectations.\nFirst-year coach Gary Kubiak installed a different offense, a different defense and a different attitude. Now the Texans will see if the changes can also produce different results.