Pressure lies on Colts RB Ballard

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - It's the biggest game in a season of big games, but the Colts will have a thin backfield when they visit Houston Sunday.

With Donald Brown and Delone Carter sidelined with ankle injuries, there's a whole lot of pressure on Vick Ballard. The Mississippi State rookie is coming off his best game as a Colt and a pro, rushing 19 times for 94 yards, most of them coming in the second half in that 27-23 thriller over Tennessee.

The guys backing him up now are Mewelde Moore, who was released at the end of October, and Deji Karim with the team in training camp and preseason. Coach Arians says Ballard will get the bulk of the carries, and go until he gets tired, but Vick says he's happy with his current workload.

"I was just happy to be on the team. Coming into the season, I didn't really know, so for me to be starting these last couple of games, I feel pretty good about it,” Ballard said.

"I'm very proud to be able to come in from the beginning of it and then see Vick,” said Moore, who is rounding back into football shape. “How he's evolving and growing in the game and becoming more and more of a professional. I'm very excited about it, and am very happy he's achieving great things."