Published: August 11, 2008 11:43 pm            

Camp Scene: With five full practices left, all eyes on veterans

TERRE HAUTE — Usually, training camp practices are set up as way for National Football League coaching staffs and player personnel departments to take a long, hard look at a respective team’s younger or less experienced players.

But with only five full practices remaining in the Rose-Hulman portion of camp, it’s the Indianapolis Colts’ veterans who have attracted the attention of the coaching staff. Specifically, the Colts’ No. 1 offensive and defensive units are looking for a bit of a jump start after a couple of sluggish performances in the first two preseason games — including this past weekend’s 23-20 overtime loss to Carolina.

“We had a chance to watch the [game] tape with the team [Monday] morning. The coaches watched it [Sunday]. The disappointing thing was that our first group didn’t really make the improvement that we were looking for,” Colts coach Tony Dungy said Monday.

“I thought our second group, in a lot of cases, did. We had some individual performances out of the young guys that we can build on. But we’ve got to play better and more consistently all the way around.

“One of the high points, I thought, was our special-teams play. It’s something we’ve emphasized. For the second week in a row, I thought we did a good job kicking and covering. Adam [Vinatieri] and Hunter [Smith], especially, have taken it on themselves to make sure that we’re getting good kicks to cover. Our guys are running hard and we’ve done a good job with those units.”

Still, the emphasis for the upcoming week of workouts will be geared toward cleaning up the mistakes and improving the team’s efficiency on both sides of the football. Indianapolis will take an 0-2 record into its final road preseason game of the year Saturday evening at Atlanta.

“I think our big goal is to be a little bit sharper and to play better in the game with our first group. They’ll go a little bit longer [in the Falcons game]. They know that. They want to play a little bit better. I think they were disappointed coming off that kind of uneven performance against Carolina,” Dungy said.

“I hope [the players] realize we still have some work to do [before Friday morning’s final practice]. Everyone will be looking forward to Friday and breaking [camp], but we’ve to be businesslike. We’ve got to take care of the first four days [of practice] before we break.”

• Injury list update — Strongside linebacker Clint Session (calf), rookie wide receiver Pierre Garcon (hip) and defensive end Jeff Charleston (groin) returned for Monday’s morning workout. All three sat out the Carolina game with injuries.

Among those not practicing Monday were defensive end Josh Thomas (groin), wide receiver Roy Hall (hamstring), rookie defensive end Curtis Johnson (quad), middle linebacker Victor Worsley (hamstring), rookie middle linebacker Philip Wheeler (knee) and cornerback Michael Coe (knee).

Coe is expected to miss up to eight weeks, while Wheeler might be back in time to play in one of the Colts’ final preseason games. Both underwent surgical procedures last week. Thomas, meanwhile, will probably be out anywhere from one to two weeks, according to Dungy, after being hurt against the Panthers.

“We did okay [injury-wise against Carolina]. Josh Thomas is probably the most aggravated [injury] from the game. He has a groin pull that’s probably going to be a week or so. But other than that, I think we came through it okay,” Dungy said.

“We have some guys that should be able to get back [to practice] before [this] week is out. Clint Session got back [Monday]. I think Jeff Charleston is back and may be able to do some things. Slowly but surely, we’re getting some guys healthy.”

• Good marks for Harrison — Veteran wide receiver Marvin Harrison got good marks for his performance against the Panthers Saturday night [three catches for 22 yards in limited playing time]. But the best news was that he was able to practice Monday without showing any apparent problems with his knee.

“Marvin did a good job. He got open. The third play of the game, it’s going to be a touchdown if we [pass] protect it. He got behind his guy. He caught the ball as it came to him and didn’t have any physical problems. I think he was pleased with [his performance] and we were also,” Dungy said.

• News and notes — In non-injury news, running back Dominic Rhodes was allowed to miss Monday’s morning practice in order to attend to some personal matters. He returned for the afternoon special teams session.

Rookie placekicker/punter Adam Crossett is back on the bubble this week. The Colts are expected to attempt to re-sign running back Clifton Dawson if he clears waivers.

“We’re going to look at the health of things. We’ll decide how we are. If we have healthy guys, we’d like to have him stay here and kick. But if we don’t have healthy guys, he knows that he’s on the bubble,” Dungy said.

• Vote for greatest Colts player — ESPN.com’s SportsNation is encouraging fans to vote in an online poll for the greatest player in Colts history. The promotion is part of the Web site’s 2008 NFL preview.

The candidates, as selected by ESPN.com staffers, are wide receiver Raymond Berry, defensive tackle Artie Donovan, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, running back Edgerrin James, tight end John Mackey, quarterback Peyton Manning, defensive end Gino Marchetti, running back Lenny Moore, offensive tackle Jim Parker and quarterback Johnny Unitas.

Final poll results will be announced Aug. 18 on ESPN.com.

• Petrowski, Weatherford play in preseason — A pair of former Terre Haute North High School standouts, tight end Jamie Petrowski and punter Steve Weatherford, played in their first NFL preseason games this past weekend.

Petrowski, a tight end who played collegiately at Indiana State, tied for the team lead with two catches for 43 yards in the Tennessee Titans’ 34-13 win over the St. Louis Rams. He had a long reception of 24 yards.

Weatherford, meanwhile, is a veteran punter for the New Orleans Saints. The University of Illinois product punted once for 51 yards as the Saints downed the Arizona Cardinals 24-10.

n Miles protege’ hoping to make Raiders roster — Former University of Washington running back Louis Rankins is facing long odds as he attempts to make the Oakland Raiders’ regular-season roster. Rankins, who was coached in college by Indiana State head coach Trent Miles, was signed as an undrafted free agent.

Rankins ran for 1,294 yards and six touchdowns as a senior for the Huskies, where Miles served as his position coach.

“I don’t think Louis has ever been scared of a challenge,” the Sycamores’ coach told the San Francisco Chronicle in a recent phone interview. “He works hard. It’s not surprising, not one bit [that he’s doing well]. I expect him to continue to step up to the challenge.”

        

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