By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON(AP) -- Houston's defense has a new attitude. Some might
call it confidence, but the Texans prefer to call it something
else.

"You have to have the swagger when you step on the field that
you're going to get it done, you're going to go make big plays
to get off the field," linebacker DeMeco Ryans said.

It's a feeling that's growing each week as this group improves
and Houston keeps winning. On Sunday, they'll see if their
newfound swagger can help at Indianapolis, a place where they've
never won.

"This is the game we'll be judged on as a defense," cornerback
Dunta Robinson said. "So many times you see the Colts go out
there and play a team that's been playing well and score 30 or
40 points. If we want to be the type of defense that we think we
are and that we know we can be, we've got to go out and make a
statement."

The group had a rough start, particularly against the run, and
allowed an NFL-worst 205 yards rushing a game in the first three
games. They've turned it around since then, giving up about 58
yards a game through their last five.

The defense was key in Houston's 31-10 win over Buffalo on
Sunday. The group allowed just 7 points off three first quarter
turnovers and shut out the Bills after halftime.

Houston's veterans said having more playmakers on defense has
allowed them to play with more confidence.

"We're playing a lot better - all 11 guys," Robinson said. "In
previous years maybe two, three, four guys max on the defense
were making plays. But now it's everybody. So that's kind of a
different feeling. I've never been in that situation where all
11 guys are out there making plays."

The unit has been helped by the emergence of rookie linebacker
Brian Cushing, who earned his second AFC defensive player of the
week honor this week. He leads the team and all rookies with 66
tackles, has two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Other newcomers to the unit are end Antonio Smith and tackle
Shaun Cody. The pair have joined first-round picks Mario
Williams and Amobi Okoye to shore up Houston's defensive front.

"Antonio seems to be getting better every week for our football
team so that's very encouraging," coach Gary Kubiak said. "We
all played very good up front (Sunday) and he was the leader of
the pack. Shaun Cody continues to get better too."

The secondary has improved in recent weeks with Robinson warming
up after missing training camp, cornerback Jacques Reeves and
safety Eugene Wilson returning from injuries, and the addition
of safety Bernard Pollard.

The players also think they've improved because they didn't
point fingers during their early-season struggles. Each player
simply figured out what he was doing wrong and fixed it.

"Everybody is confident in their abilities and that swagger just
comes from being accountable and everybody doing their job,"
Ryans said. "When you know that guys are going to line up and do
their job it's easy to go out and play with swagger because
you're only worried about what you have to do, you're not
worried that those guys are going to be wrong or they may mess a
play up."

They'll get to see how much they've improved against the
undefeated Colts and their NFL-best passing game. Peyton Manning
threw for 567 yards and four scores in two meetings with Houston
last season.

"We've got to get to him," Robinson said. "We've got to get
pressure on him and we've got to get off the field on third
downs. The best way to beat this team is keep this offense off
the field and that's what we have to do."