Manning, Harrison Partnership Scores Points

As cozy as the two might appear on the field, their pitch-and-catch act has not evolved in such a short period of time at the expense of the Indianapolis Colts' other receivers.

"Marvin is a big-time receiver that can get open and runs good routes," Manning said. "It's my job to get him the ball.

"I have a lot of confidence in Marvin, but I have just as much confidence in Jerome (Pathon) and Torrance (Small) and Ken (Dilger) and Marcus (Pollard) and the other guys. Throughout my football career, I've always tried to spread the ball out amongst different receivers, and that's what I plan to do here."

In his NFL debut last Sunday against Miami, Manning completed 21 passes and kept virtually every pair of eager hands happy. Harrison had a team-high five receptions, Marshall Faulk and Pathon had four each and Pollard and Dilger three apiece.

"In this league," Manning said, "you have go-to guys, but it's hard to say, 'I'm going to this guy every time.'

"I try to read out the play and get the ball to the right guy."

Still, Manning's "right guy" has often been Harrison.

Their professional association began at an April minicamp, took firm root during off-season workouts in June and sprouted in training camp and preseason. Manning, the top pick in the draft, was the new kid with the live arm. Harrison, a first-round pick in 1996, was the veteran with good speed and reliable hands.

"You try to develop great timing with all of your receivers," Manning said during preseason, "but Marvin and I have gotten a lot of repetitions together and our timing feels real good."

Manning's first NFL pass was a perfect precursor -- a 48-yard touchdown to Harrison in the preseason opener at Seattle. Of Manning's 64 pass attempts in preseason, 21 (32.8 percent) were directed at Harrison. That trend continued against the Dolphins as 13 of Manning's 37 tosses (35.1 percent) went to Harrison.

Not surprisingly, the Manning-to-Harrison partnership has resulted in as much risk as reward. All five of Manning's preseason/regular season touchdown passes have gone to Harrison. But five of his six interceptions were also intended for Harrison.

Manning's fondness for Harrison didn't surprise Miami cornerback Terrell Buckley, who tarnished Manning's NFL inaugural with a pair of interceptions.

"Rookies tend to adopt certain receivers, get a little cozy with them, you know?" Buckley said. "We knew (Manning) would go to Harrison about a dozen times."

That a rookie quarterback might find a comfort zone with a particular receiver is hardly unprecedented.

In 1986, an injury to veteran quarterback Gary Hogeboom in Game 2 forced the Colts to turn to rookie Jack Trudeau. A second-round draft pick, Trudeau started the next 11 games and never seemed to stray far from his security blanket, fellow rookie Bill Brooks.

A fourth-round pick who now works in the Colts' front office, Brooks enjoyed a 65-catch rookie season that produced 1,131 yards and eight touchdowns. He had 53 receptions, 1,008 yards and six touchdowns in Trudeau's 11 starts.

"Jack and I came in the same year and we worked an awful lot together in the preseason," Brooks said. "I can't speak for Jack, but when we were both out there in games, I think he felt comfortable throwing to me."

Twelve years later, Harrison wants Manning to feel the same.

"When it's crunch time and we need a play, I want him to know he can depend on me. In my mind, I know he's going to throw it to me. I hope he thinks the same way."

Crockett: No surgery

A second medical opinion reinforced the first: Fullback Zack Crockett will not need surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his right knee. Crockett, who suffered the injury during the first quarter of last Sunday's game against Miami, will rehabilitate the knee with the aid of the team's medical staff.