Colts hit Miami, seek to avoid vice

The Colts finally arrived Monday night in Miami, more than 24 hours after the Chicago Bears. Simply a matter of preference. Coach Tony Dungy felt staying in Indianapolis an extra day allowed this to feel more like a regular-season week.

Of course, nothing feels like the regular season once you’re on the scene in Miami, with the overwhelming hype and beckoning nightlife. When I was leaving the Colts hotel in Fort Lauderdale earlier tonight after a half-hour interview session with Dungy and various players, the limos were lined up ready to take the players to South Beach, etc., for some fun.

They won’t have too long to party, however. The Colts are scheduled to talk with reporters from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Dolphin Stadium.

“This is a week that you’re not going to get to experience all the time,” Dungy said. “I pointed out to them on Monday that in the 41 years of this game, there’s six teams that haven’t been here yet and another eight teams that have been only once. So that’s almost half the league that been one time (or not at all) in 41 years. We can’t look at it as something that, hey, we’ll probably get to do it again next year or the year after.”

On the injury note, Dungy said quarterback Peyton Manning’s thumb should allow him to play, but cornerback Nick Harper remains questionable with an ankle injury.