The Colts will enter a new era Sunday night against the Texans, doing something some of their teenage fans have never seen.
As pointed out by Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star, when they line up against the Texans Sunday, the Colts will play their first game without either Reggie Wayne or Marvin Harrison since Dec. 27, 1998.
Harrison last played in 2008, after a string of 190 straight games. Wayne’s streak of 189 straight appearances will end because of his torn ACL suffered against the Broncos. Between them, that’s a span of 251 straight games including the playoffs with one or both on the field.
“I hear people asking Andrew [Luck] how it’s going to be without Reggie,” longtime receivers coach Clyde Christensen said with a smile. “Well, how about me? This is the first time I’ve been in the [meeting] room without Reggie.
“Believe me, it’s different. He was such a security blanket.”
The last time they played without either of the star wideouts, rookie quarterback Peyton Manning was throwing to Jerome Pathon, Torrance Small, and E.G. Green (along with running back Marshall Faulk and tight end Marcus Pollard).
They lost that game 27-19 to the Panthers, who got touchdowns from Raghib Ismail, Michael Bates, and Tshimanga Biakabutuka that day.
Having covered that game, I now feel very, very old.