tes Simon Pagenaud and Will Power try to make it a two-man race

INDIANAPOLIS -- Dwayne Allen is finally getting his wish.Andrew Luck is looking his way a little more often, and the tight ends suddenly have a more prominent role in the Indianapolis Colts offense. From the sound of it, its likely to stay that way.We know we want to be able to attack defenses in multiple ways and that means wide receivers catching balls, the tight ends and the running backs, and be able to utilize everybody, Luck said Wednesday after targeting tight ends more often in last weekends opener.The Colts (0-1) remain quiet when asked if the use of Allen and Jack Doyle was more by design or merely a function of something Detroit did.But as coordinator Rob Chudzinski puts his stamp on Indys revamped offense, its clear his tight end roots are taking hold.Last season, when Luck was under heavy pressure and missed nine games with injuries, Indys top three tight ends -- Allen, Coby Fleener and Doyle -- combined for 82 catches, 672 yards and five touchdowns.Last week, Allen and Doyle were targeted 10 times. Allen had four catches for 53 yards and one TD, while Doyle had three receptions for 35 yards and two TDs.My role is that Im a pass blocker and a run blocker when they need me to block, and Im a pass catcher when they need me to be a pass catcher, Allen said. There are moments during the game where youre asked to do different jobs, and whenever youre called on, you just have to do them.A year ago, Allen pleaded politely, publicly that he wanted to help the team more. Yet Fleener continued to get more chances.That started changing in March when the Colts defied conventional wisdom by re-signing Allen for four years and $29.4 million, letting Fleener leave in free agency. During training camp and the preseason, the Colts admittedly kept their playbook largely under wraps.On Sunday, the Colts came out relying on the run and short routes. As the game progressed, Luck started taking more shots downfield and the tight ends wound up scoring the last three touchdowns. Doyles 6-yard catch with 37 seconds left gave Indy a short-lived 35-34 lead.It was fun, said Doyle, an Indianapolis native who started his career in Tennessee as an undrafted free agent. When the ball comes your way you try to catch it. (Im) just trying to do my job and the ball happened to find my way.This week, at Denver (1-0), Allen and Doyle again will play crucial parts.While the defending Super Bowl champs no longer have Peyton Manning running the show, they still possess one of the leagues top defenses.And big-hitting Pro Bowlers such as Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware are eager to harass Luck, who sustained a season-ending lacerated kidney last season against the Broncos.One possible way to slow down them down is exploiting the middle of the field with athletic players such as Allen and Doyle.The Colts arent dropping any hints about their game plan, though both promise to be ready. Indy expects nothing less.We have to protect, we have to block and we have to protect and communicate that (Luck) doesnt take any unnecessary hits, coach Chuck Pagano said. Thats our job as an offense. Thats the job of the offensive linemen, the backs and the tight ends to try to make sure that doesnt happen.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Lavon Hooks Jersey .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. Cheap Steelers Jerseys . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. http://www.cheapsteelersjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-casey-sayles-jersey . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Tyson Alualu Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Cameron Heyward Jersey . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Friday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. A full Olympic Digest has been sent. All times EDT:- NEW ORLEANS -- The NBA has decided to hold the 2017 All-Star Game in New Orleans, a person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press.- RIO DE JANIERO -- U.S swimmer Ryan Lochte has apologized for his behavior surrounding a late-night incident at a Rio de Janeiro gas station, saying he should have been more careful and candid about how he described what happened.- RIO DE JANEIRO -- For his final act at the Olympics, Usain Bolt heads to the track as the headliner on a Jamaican relay team looking for its third straight gold medal. If they win it, Bolt will finish 9 for 9 over his career. Race starts 10:35 p.m.- RIO DE JANEIRO -- The U.S. mens basketball team tries to move within a victory of a third straight gold medal when it faces Spain, the team it beat in two tense finals in the last two Olympics. Game starts 2:30 p.m.- ARLINGTON, Texas -- Tony Romo is expected to make his preseason debut in the exhibition home opener for the Dallas Cowboys. Ryan Tannehill and the Miami Dolphins are set for Round 2 a week after a tepid start for the first-team offense. Game starts 8 p.m.- Other preseason NFL games: New York Jets at Washington, 7:30 p.m.; Arrizona at San Diego, 9 p.ddddddddddddm.- JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan and city officials break ground on the second phase of a $90 million upgrade to EverBank Field, which will be called Dailys Place. The new complex adjacent to the stadium will feature an amphitheater and an indoor practice facility.- BALTIMORE -- Wade Miley makes his fourth start for the Baltimore Orioles and will be seeking his first victory in a matchup against the Houston Astros, who have lost five in a row. Game starts 7:05 p.m.- MASON, Ohio -- Angelique Kerber tries to reach the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open and stay on track to surpass Serena Williams for the No. 1 ranking. Andy Murray is the top player left in the mens bracket.- BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Break time is over. With four races left before the championship chase, the push to make the Sprint Cup playoffs is on at Bristol Motor Speedway.- LONG POND, Pa. -- Juan Pablo Montoya finds himself in an unusual place as the IndyCar Series returns to Pocono Raceway. With four races left in the season, hes not the man to beat and plans to be a team player as Penske teammates Simon Pagenaud and Will Power try to make it a two-man race