"Joseph Addai is home for the weekend, but the novelty has worn off, and so has the clamor for tickets.

"Each year, and this is my third year, it kind of goes down and that's a good thing,'' said the Colts' veteran running back as he considered today's game against the Houston Texans in Reliant Stadium.

The interest level for Addai followers peaks whenever he returns to Houston. That's home. He was a prep star at Sharpstown.

Addai was overwhelmed with ticket requests when he made his first professional appearance as a rookie in 2006.

"It was crazy,'' he said. "I remember getting into Houston, going home and seeing everybody. Everybody was trying to get tickets. I didn't even have time by myself to relax.

"But it's been getting better.''

For this weekend, he had a family member handle ticket requests, which weren't as voluminous as they were in '06. The plan was for Addai to spend quality time at his mother's home Saturday evening, then return to the team hotel for evening meetings.

One of Addai's six career 100-yard games came at the expense of Houston -- 100 yards in Reliant Stadium in 2006, the only game in the 12-game series the Texans have won.

Nice style pointsAddai generated highlight-reel material on his last appearance at Reliant Stadium 12 months ago. His 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was as acrobatic as it gets.

Addai took a handoff and headed right, only to be met just short of the goal line by cornerback DeMarcus Faggins. Faggins went low for the tackle, but Addai went high to avoid him, flipping cleats over helmet. As Addai was completing his 360-degree flip into the end zone, he was whacked by linebacker DeMeco Ryans.

"That happened on accident,'' Addai said.

His thoughts while airborne?

" 'I hope I land the right way,' that's what I was thinking,'' Addai said. "I was really just trying to get into the end zone.''"