"The news that Anthony Gonzalez had tweaked his ankle was news to Anthony Gonzalez.

"I feel good," the Indianapolis Colts receiver said Monday afternoon. "I feel really good."

Asked if he was optimistic he would be available when the Colts return to action against the Houston Texans in a key AFC South clash Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, Gonzalez paused only briefly.

"I would be surprised if I didn't play," he said.

That wasn't the message delivered Sunday by ESPN.com. It reported that Gonzalez, who has missed the past five games with a high sprain to his right ankle, had tweaked the same ankle during practice last week.

The medical update interrupted an otherwise quiet and uneventful three-day weekend for Gonzalez.

"It's a little frustrating when you get a bunch of calls and text messages," he said. "It was like, 'Hey, I thought you were feeling good? What's going on?' "

The short answer: nothing.

"I have no idea where that's coming from," Gonzalez said. "Look, the guy didn't make it up. I'm sure somebody told him. Whoever that is told him a lie, though. No tweaking, nothing. It's day-to-day, but there certainly wasn't any setback last week. I thought last week went well."

Gonzalez sprained his ankle in the season-opening loss at Houston and insisted "it's still a recovering injury."

His availability for the rematch is critical considering Pro Bowl tight end Dallas Clark will miss the remainder of the season with a wrist injury and receiver Austin Collie is out indefinitely after surgery on his right thumb."