"Defensive end Dwight Freeney said it would be a problem if the Colts defense thought, "'Oh well, Peyton's there, so we can just put our feet up and relax.'" The defense does not worry about its QB.

A serious question or two accompany the Indianapolis Colts as they creep closer to their Sept. 11 regular-season opener at Houston.

Peyton Manning? Kerry Collins?

Here's another. Will the defense need to carry a heavier load if Manning starts but needs a few games to find his rhythm, or if Collins gets the nod and runs a watered-down version of the offense?

The latter is a question the defense summarily dismisses heading into tonight's game against the reigning Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers at Lucas Oil Stadium. The quarterback -- Manning, Collins, Curtis Painter, CBS analyst Phil Simms -- is irrelevant.

"We want to be the best defense regardless," cornerback Jerraud Powers said. "Whether it's Peyton, Curtis, Michael Vick, whoever's out there, it doesn't matter. If we take the approach Peyton's not going to be ready so we've got to do something more on defense, something's wrong with that."

Defensive end Dwight Freeney agreed.

"That would tell you something's wrong if you take the approach, 'Oh well, Peyton's there so we can just put our feet up and relax,' " he said. "We go out there and try to get three-and-outs. We try to go out there and keep teams from scoring.""