Even though he's not listed on the team's injury report, running back Antowain Smith was visibly limping as he moved through the locker room with two pieces of pizza on a plate and a smile on his face.
Smith, who figures to be a big component of the Patriots' game plan on Sunday against the Colts, appeared to injure his right ankle on a 17-yard run at the end of the third quarter against Tennessee.
Because of their relatively puny defensive line, the Colts are extremely generous when other teams opt to run against them. Smith, the team's power back, could be a big weapon if he's able to go.
But the slightest indication he isn't up to carrying the load would likely cause the Patriots to make sure Mike Cloud is ready. Another option? Patrick Pass. Though he's carried the ball rarely this season (two times for 15 yards and a catch for 8 all in Houston), Pass, at 217 pounds, outweighs Cloud by 12 pounds and Kevin Faulk by 14.
Near the end of the Patriots' open locker room period yesterday, guard Joe Andruzzi called down to rookie center Dan Koppen.
"Where's Hochstein?" Andruzzi asked, referring to Russ Hochstein, the young guard who apparently will be pressed into starting duty Sunday since Damien Woody has reportedly torn a ligament in his knee.
"I don't know," said Koppen. "He must be hiding out."
Andruzzi smiled. "Classic."
Hochstein has suddenly joined Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as one of the major protagonists in Sunday's AFC Championship.
When Hochstein finally did appear near his locker with only a couple of minutes remaining before reporters were chased out, he was immediately descended upon by a crew of at least a dozen writers, TV folks and cameras.
Ah, the trials of celebrity.
When Colts coach Tony Dungy was pressed on the reason for not having his team practice outside this week to familiarize his team with the cold, he said, "When I was in college at Minnesota (former Vikings' head coach) Bud Grant was famous for winning cold-weather games. I remember my senior season, the Vikings were playing the Redskins and (Washington coach) George Allen flew up and took them outdoors to practice all week."
Asked about that, Dungy recalled Grant replying, " 'I don't know why anybody would practice in this.' Bud took the Vikings to Tulsa, Oklahoma, came back and won the game. I don't think you need to sit in cold weather and work on frozen fields to know what you can do in the cold.".
The Patriots haven't trailed in a game since Tom Brady hit Daniel Graham for a touchdown with 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter against Houston on Nov. 23. That's five games and 21 quarters (including the Houston overtime) ago.
It was news to rookie Bethel Johnson yesterday when he was told that he led the AFC in kickoff return average this season, besting even Kansas City's Dante Hall.
When Brady was asked yesterday what movie he planned to watch the night before Sunday's game, he said Hoosiers. Reminded that "Hoosiers" is based on a team from Indianapolis, Brady cursed. Apparently, he's taking recommendations for new options.
