"They know they're all going to play and they know they're all going to be a part of what we're doing, so I just think we keep working them," Kubiak said.

"Obviously, Ryan earned some time on the football field the way he played. But we've got to get all three of them ready to play."

Regardless of who starts, coaches and players agree they will need Slaton's playmaking ability against the Colts.

Slaton, who has started 23 straight games, has gotten off to a slow start this season with 110 carries for 342 yards rushing and two scores, but has supplemented his work in the running game with 314 yards receiving and three touchdowns.

Left tackle Duane Brown talked to Slaton after the game to remind him that everyone is rooting for him and expects him to rebound from this adversity.

"Everyone here has so much belief in Steve and what he can do," Brown said. "It's just about him bouncing back, and this will definitely be a big week to do it. We're going to need everyone to get this win and he's a very key part of this team and what we have going."

The Texans continue to run drills in practice focusing on trying to make the running backs fumble. Yesterday, they even had a cornerback run after them after plays were done to try and knock it loose.

Slaton was not made available to reporters yesterday, but talked about his struggles after the game Sunday.

"It's hard," he said. "You always want to go out there and be a part of the team game, but we rode the hot hand and Moats had a great game and got it done for us."

Seahawks. Matt Hasselbeck watched most of yesterday's practice to rest his broken ribs, though the Seahawks say they expect the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback to start again Sunday against Detroit.

Seattle coach Jim Mora said Hasselbeck "was a little bit beat up, like what happens to a lot of quarterbacks in this league" after playing in all of last weekend's 38-17 loss at Dallas.

Hasselbeck was crumpled on the turf after a hit in the third quarter but finished the game. Mora said that was because he wanted to send the message to his 2-5 team and its fans that he wasn't giving up on that game or this season.

"I wasn't considering coming out," Hasselbeck said, before he added with a smile, "except for the one time I was on the ground."

Browns. Jamal Lewis can see the goal line to his career. It's just eight games away.

Cleveland's durable running back said that he hasn't changed his mind about retiring after this season, his 10th in the NFL. Lewis announced the decision following the Browns' 30-6 loss Sunday in Chicago, leading to speculation he was speaking from emotion.

Surely the 30-year-old would change his mind. Apparently not.

"I don't talk just to talk," he said yesterday. "I mean what I say."

Giants. Coach Tom Coughlin put the onus on the team's playmakers and leaders to lift the squad out of its three-game losing streak.

"Leaders are lifters," Coughlin said twice during his news conference. "And normally what has to happen when a team does fight their way out of a problem, your best players have to show the way. They are the ones that show the way. The guys that are in the role of a foot soldier, they will play and they will work their tails off.

"But what ultimately shows is when the guys that are recognized as your quality football players, your better football players, they have to play themselves into a position where they are showing the way."

Jaguars. Two days after ripping his team's defensive effort, coach Jack Del Rio had the team in full pads. The Jaguars (3-4) gave up a franchise-record 305 yards rushing at Tennessee in a 30-13 loss Sunday. Del Rio called the defensive effort insulting, ugly and embarrassing.

Del Rio was so upset about missed tackles that he considered having live tackling drills this week. He reconsidered, but only because he was fearful of injury.

Dolphins. Linebacker Channing Crowder returned to practice after missing one game with a shoulder injury. The Dolphins play at New England Sunday.

Crowder is fifth on the team with 22 tackles.

Colts. Unbeaten Indianapolis lost starting linebacker Tyjuan Hagler for the rest of the season with a ruptured biceps. Hagler was placed on injured reserve Wednesday.

Running back Donald Brown (shoulder) and cornerback Marlin Jackson (strained ACL) might practice this week, but coach Jim Caldwell did not say whether they would play against Houston this weekend.

Chiefs. Jarrad Page, a three-year starter at free safety, was placed on injured reserve.

Jurisprudence. The man charged with shooting a Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman has taken the stand in his own defense and denied being involved in the attack. Tyrone Hartsfield faces attempted murder and weapons charges in the 2008 shooting that left Richard Collier paralyzed.