PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : Colts Not Counting on Faulk to Play

Running back Marshall Faulk, who has been unable to recover from a knee injury--he recently had arthroscopic surgery--is not being counted on by the Colts for Sunday’s AFC championship game in Pittsburgh.

“When I talked to Marshall this morning he said if the swelling would be down, there would be no pain and the stitches would be all right, he could play,” Coach Ted Marchibroda said. “But I think it’s an awfully long shot to expect Marshall to play. You never know, but I would not expect Marshall to play at this point.”

Faulk, who ran 15 times for 61 yards in the Colts’ 31-21 loss to Pittsburgh last season, carried the ball once for 16 yards in Indianapolis’ playoff opener at San Diego before being forced to the sideline again because of the sore knee.

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The Colts, who have now won 11 games this season for the first time since 1976, continue to amaze.

“We beat the Chargers, we beat the 49ers, and they were both in the Super Bowl last year,” linebacker Trev Alberts said. “You tell me, who can’t we beat?”

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Indianapolis linebacker Tony Bennett said the Kansas City Chiefs tried to pull a fast one, and paid for it in losing, 10-7, in Sunday’s AFC divisional game.

“Right before the final field goal try, the Chiefs had someone come running out on the field and switch the balls,” Bennett said. “We were all yelling about it. They probably had it over on the sidelines getting warmed up.

“Well, that’s fine, because they overcooked it, and it went wide left.”