Colts Notes: Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Taking a look at what Chuck Pagano said in his press conference today...

INJURY UPDATE:

• Safety Delano Howell reaggrivated his neck injury, thus the reason for him being placed on injured reserve yesterday. MY TAKE: Losing Howell hurts, but the Colts signed safety Corey Lynch last night to try and make up for it.
• Safety Sergio Brown suffered a fracture in his hand Sunday in the loss to the Cardinals and had surgery yesterday.  Despite the injury, Pagano said he would be "shocked" if the special teams standout didn't play Sunday.  "He's one tough cookie," Pagano added. MY TAKE: Brown hasn't gotten the credit he should be getting for his special teams play this year, which for the second straight season is tremendous.  It wouldn't seem like it, but playing without Brown would actually be a big loss for the Colts.  It's a good thing he should play Sunday.
• Fullback Stanley Havili has been cleared to practice.  All the other players - including Greg Toler, T.Y. Hilton, Kavell Conner - are day-to-day.  MY TAKE: I expected Havili to be ready after the Colts released Justice Cunningham yesterday.  Being cleared to practice is different than being cleared to play, but things are looking good for Havili playing this Sunday.  And as we all know, day-to-day with the Colts really doesn't mean anything.  For those players that are day-to-day, we really just have to look at the practice report to get a better idea on whether they'll play.

OTHER NOTES:

• Pagano said that with the release of David Reed yesterday, Chris Rainey, Daniel "Boom" Herron, and LaVon Brazill are all options to replace him at kick returner.  MY TAKE: I expect it be Rainey.  I think that's the main reason they signed him, Pagano has been really positive on him since he was signed last week, and I fully expect him to be the one handling the kick return duties.
• Pagano said that newly promoted linebacker Josh McNary's role will be first and foremost special teams, and added that they feel like he can have a "huge" impact there.  He also said that McNary is a great athlete who is strong and fast and who is a man with great character.  He said that McNary could also be worked into the defense some.  MY TAKE: It sounds like we will see McNary on Sunday, probably on special teams.  He's a player to watch.
• Pagano said that the losses "bothers everybody.  It makes you sick to your stomach." Pagano said that the Colts will do whatever it takes to win football games.  He said that going up tempo early on in games is something that has been discussed.  MY TAKE: They must be reading my articles.  I said they needed to do that very thing in an article yesterday.
• Pagano said that linebacker Erik Walden, who was suspended last week, will be back in the starting lineup and that he has learned his lesson. MY TAKE: I hope so.  And I hope that he can pick up where he left off before his suspension, because he was starting to play well.
• Pagano, asked whether the team will have four wide receivers active on Sunday, said that "I would venture to say that's a good probability."  The fourth wide receiver for the Colts right now is Da'Rick Rogers, and Pagano said that they are going to put him in and give him a shot.  Pagano has plenty of confidence in him.  MY TAKE: This is the move Colts fans have been wanting, and another one that I advocated in my article yesterday (the third one so far that the Colts would have done since then, including cutting David Reed and going up tempo early).  He is very talented, but we have yet to see what he can do in the NFL.  It sounds like we might get to on Sunday, which is a good thing and a good move by the Colts.
• The Colts will come in an hour early on Thursday so that they can get their work done and then head home to spend Thanksgiving with their families.  Pagano, asked whether he is a turkey or a ham kind of guy, said "pasta."  MY TAKE: I'll take turkey, but I'd be fine with ham too.  And pasta.  How about all three?  Seriously, though, have a great Thanksgiving everybody and I hope you get to celebrate it with those closest to you.

For more up to the minute information and analysis of all things Colts, follow Josh Wilson on twitter at @coltsfanwilson and Brad Wells on twitter @StampedeBlue.