INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Coach Tony Dungy believes his Indianapolis Colts have already received their biggest advantage from earning the AFC’s top seed – rest.

He’s not even concerned with the other R’ word – rust.

Most starters saw limited action in the past two games and have another weekend off. Dungy expects the Colts to return for their second-round playoff game primed to make a Super Bowl run.

“The guys who needed rest got it, and I think after the long season and a long preseason, some guys really needed it,” Dungy said.

Dungy’s dilemma was eased by a loss to San Diego on Dec. 18.

Until then, the Colts were 13-0 and trying to become only the second NFL team to complete a perfect season. Some contended that Dungy had to give his regulars a chance to make history, but those criticisms dissipated once the quest ended.

Dungy then pounced on the chance to protect his top players from injury. Peyton Manning played only three series combined over the past two games, and both Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison were deactivated once.

Nearly half the defensive starters, including Pro Bowlers Cato June and Bob Sanders, didn’t play at all. Dwight Freeney was in for only a few plays each week.

That tactic has had mixed results in the past. In 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles rested most of their key players during the final few regular-season games and still won the NFC title. In 1996, though, Denver benched most of its starters for the final three games, then lost to Jacksonville in the second round.

of the playoffs.

But the Colts are hoping the short-term absences of some starters will produce long-term gains.

Dungy said Monday that most of the injured Colts probably could have played against Arizona if Indy was still trying to clinch the AFC South title or home-field advantage.

“Corey (Simon) is probably the only guy who has not come along as quickly as we had hoped,” Dungy said.

Simon, a former Pro Bowl defensive tackle and the Colts’ key run stuffer, has missed the last three games with a sprained left foot. Dungy thinks Simon could return for the first playoff game Jan. 14 or 15.

The only other significant injury was to starting right tackle Ryan Diem, who sprained a ligament in his left knee against San Diego and has not played since. The Colts are hoping Diem returns for the playoffs.

Otherwise, most of the injured players are healthy.

One way the Colts tried to keep players healthy and in sync was to let starters take most of their usual work in practice. Dungy believes that helps keep timing sharp and avoids any potential rustiness when meaningful games resume.

And Dungy has little doubt that the Colts, who have been to the playoffs six times in seven years, have enough experience to avoid any potential pitfalls.

“You always want to be in situations where you’re playing highly competitive games. That’s probably the thing we’ll miss,” Dungy said. “But we had a good stretch where we had to do that, and got it done. I think we’ll be able to get our sharpness back.”