Gideon won't play a down for the Indianapolis Colts when they meet Houston in a crucial showdown of 4-2 teams on "Monday Night Football" at Lucas Oil Stadium. That didn't prevent Colts coach Jim Caldwell from invoking him.
"I call it the 'Gideon Principle' in this league," Caldwell said. "At some point in time, you get pared down to the absolute bare minimum. So you see who can stand tall and who can function in their present circumstances."
The Colts are pared down. Their numbers don't compare to those of Gideon, a biblical figure who defeated a force of 135,000 with 300, but the Colts special teams could use "the power of weakness" with which Gideon triumphed.
Special teams co-captain Melvin Bullitt is on injured reserve. So are core special teams players Jamie Silva, Ramon Humber and Brandon King and kick returner Devin Moore. Kavell Conner is recovering from foot surgery.
Pat McAfee will miss the Houston game to serve a suspension resulting from his Oct. 20 arrest on a public intoxication charge. That means the Colts will do without their punter, holder and standout kickoff man.
An already difficult situation has been exacerbated by injuries to tight end Dallas Clark, wide receiver Austin Collie and running back Joseph Addai. Special teams regulars Jacob Tamme, Blair White and Mike Hart might have to play extensively on offense in place of the injured starters.
"Maybe I'll get a little extra running this week," deduced Tamme, a punt and kick coverage kamikaze who will replace Clark. "It's 'next man up' on offense and 'next man up' on special teams."
Said White: "You're going to be tired. You're going to have to do things when you don't want to do them. It's football."
Ideally, the Colts would back off their special teams load, but numbers might not permit it. Starting safeties Antoine Bethea, a Pro Bowl player, and Aaron Francisco already are playing on special teams.
The danger is getting too many players in unfamiliar situations or having players like Tamme or White or Hart doing too much. Tired legs or a mental lapse can create a gap and a game-changing return, or a crease in protection and a blocked punt or field goal.
Free agent Jeremy Kapinos, who averaged 43.8 yards for Green Bay last season, has been signed to handle the punting. Place-kicker Adam Vinatieri figures to handle kickoffs. Tamme, a holder in college and the Colts' backup the past three seasons, probably will assume that duty, although Kapinos did it in Green Bay and backup quarterback Curtis Painter is a possibility.
The return game also is in flux.
Kenny Moore, who was signed to return kicks and punts after Devin Moore's injury, was waived after fumbling twice on returns Oct. 17 at Washington. Justin Tryon took over on kickoffs and Jerraud Powers handled punts after Kenny Moore's second fumble.
Tryon and Powers could get the call again Monday, although recently signed free agent running back Andre Brown has been working with the kick return team in practice.
Caldwell will admit to having made no decisions. He is seeking answers, not excuses.
"My job is to win, plain and simple," he said. "I have to deal with the here and now, what we have to play with. The guys we have, have plenty of talent. We have more than enough to get it done."
Gideon is on call.
