Indy hopes rest doesn't mean rust

Coach Tony Dungy said his team has looked sharp in practice.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Forget the rust. Peyton Manning is throwing with more zip, Edgerrin James feels fresh and Marvin Harrison is back putting pressure on defenses.
After spending the last two regular-season games resting and last week working against themselves, the Colts were ready to play some football Monday.
"That's what we hoped for, and that's why we rested some of our guys," coach Tony Dungy said. "I think the rest did help them and helped some other guys."
The Colts (14-2) haven't had much to play for since losing 26-17 to San Diego on Dec. 18.
By wrapping up the AFC's top seed with three games left in the regular-season and no longer pursuing perfection, Indy took advantage of the opportunity to rest key players.
Even Manning, James and Harrison, who squirm at the notion of taking breaks during practices much less games, stayed on the sideline. Manning played only three series in the final two games, Harrison missed the Seattle game and played only two series against Arizona and James played one half against the Seahawks before taking the regular-season finale off.
Now Dungy wants to see the payoff Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Healthy again
On Monday, Dungy said the Colts are as healthy as they have been in a long time and said Indy's nicked up players should be ready to play in Sunday's rematch. The Colts dominated Pittsburgh in a 26-7 win Nov. 28.
Among those who were helped by the long layoff were three Pro Bowlers -- safety Bob Sanders, linebacker Cato June and defensive end Dwight Freeney; run-stuffing defensive tackles Corey Simon and Montae Reagor; and right tackle Ryan Diem, who has missed three weeks with a sprained ligament in his left knee.
"Corey, Ryan and Dexter [Reid] all ran and ran well this morning and have all gotten the OK to practice Wednesday if there are no setbacks," Dungy said.
Other teams have had mixed results with extra rest.
The Denver Broncos lost in the divisional round at home in 1996 after holding out their starters for the final three regular-season games. Last year, though, the Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC title after using the same approach..
And the Colts lost both of their previous playoff games after having a first-round bye.
But Dungy believes his players' experience and work ethic will help them avoid any rustiness against the Steelers.
Solid practices
Since returning to the team Dec. 28, after the death of his 18-year-old son, James, Dungy has liked what he's seen at practice.
"I thought Wednesday and Thursday were two of the best practices we've had in a long, long time," Dungy said. "We didn't put the ball on the ground, we had no repeats, so I think we'll be sharp."
Dungy believes the bye week is actually a bigger advantage than playing at the RCA Dome, where the Steelers struggled with crowd noise two months ago. Pittsburgh had a handful of false starts and later complained that the Colts were piping in extra noise over the speakers.
Dungy wasn't about to enter that fray Monday, saying only there are ways to handle the noise.
For now, he will keep his focus on making sure the Colts are not only rested but also motivated and sharp.
"It's fun to be back in earnest, knowing who we are going to play. It's very exciting," Dungy said. "If we have our focus, we'll be all right."
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