"Letting It Out . . .

If the Indianapolis Colts are going to win today, they need to do something they haven't done often enough in their past 12 games: Get the ball into Joseph Addai's hands.

Hard to believe, but Addai hasn't gone over 100 yards rushing since last year's home loss to New England in the sixth game of the season. There have been 12 games since -- 10 regular-season games in the 2007 season, one playoff game against San Diego and the opening-night loss to Chicago last Sunday.

The Colts' entire running game has gone over 100 yards just two times during that stretch, and on both of those occasions, ex-Colt Kenton Keith did the bulk of the work.

In my mind, that's not really on Addai. He's just not getting enough touches, something Peyton Manning alluded to last week. That's a lack-of-opportunity problem, and he has had to run recently behind a battered and reconfigured offensive line.

They need to get it to him a lot more, both in the running and passing game.

This team became a Super Bowl contender when it began running the ball consistently and productively. Even when defenses knew they were going to run and crowded the line of scrimmage, they still managed to make yards.

That nasty edge, the "we're gonna run even though you know we're gonna run'' arrogance has been missing for too long.

All the best to Colts offensive line coach Howard Mudd, who will miss the next two games while recovering from knee-replacement surgery.

It's tough to watch Mudd and defensive line coach John Teerlinck, both former NFL players, try to get around on those creaky, painful joints. It's the price too many former players pay.

(I'm not going to blame football for Mudd's big injury last year, a broken finger he suffered when trying to use that finger as a shoehorn. Note to Howard: That's why they have shoehorns.)

On a related point, here's hoping center Jeff Saturday doesn't rush to return to the lineup with his knee injury.

The Colts likely won't make a decision until shortly before game time, but when you look at Mudd and Teerlinck, you see two guys who played with a lot of pain.

Saturday is a smart guy and he has the city's best medical care at his disposal, but a player's heart can sometimes veto his head. Here's hoping he's thinking long term, or at least considering sitting out these next two weeks, then coming back after the bye week.

Since you asked, Bob's Lock of the Week is Seattle over San Francisco, and I don't even know what the spread is. Whatever the number is, the Seahawks, who need to win after an abysmal opening loss, will pile it on the bedraggled 49ers.

Last year, I wrote a column about Ed Johnson that didn't endear me to the former Colts defensive lineman.

It was a mostly positive column, noting how he had come from nowhere to emerge as a starting tackle on a team coming off a Super Bowl. But I also had to mention that he had been kicked o