INDIANAPOLIS — Peyton Manning stood behind his teammates, throwing footballs at a wall.
He watched, and he paced, but the look in Manning's eyes made it perfectly clear — he wanted to be practicing Sunday, not watching from the side.
A slightly sprained right knee made that impossible.
"I was throwing it around a little bit today," Manning said after missing his first practice since signing with the Colts three years ago. "If we were playing the (New York) Jets this week, I probably would practice this week."
Instead, the Colts are preparing for their final preseason game Thursday night at Cincinnati — without the services of their two-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
Manning injured the knee and what he called a sprained right ankle in Friday night's 28-21 loss at Minnesota.
The injury occurred just before halftime when Vikings defensive tackle Chris Hovan rolled into Manning's right leg. The leg bent awkwardly, and Manning immediately reached for his knee.
Manning finished the drive, then returned for the second half in street clothes, with ice wrapped around his knee and ankle.
An MRI on Saturday confirmed what doctors diagnosed following the game'
Mora called that a precautionary move, and Manning insisted that if it were the regular season, he probably would practice — with the blue brace protecting his right knee.
But with a meaningless game Thursday night, Mark Rypien will start in Manning's place — the first time since 1997 anyone other than Manning has started.
"I think it will be good for Mark," Mora said. "Mark stepped in there today, and it seemed like he really enjoyed that, being the guy."
The idle time is anything but customary for Manning.
He's never missed a start in high school, college or the NFL.
His streak of 48 straight starts is the second longest among NFL quarterbacks. Green Bay's Brett Favre has started 141 straight games. Manning also started all 16 preseason games and both postseason games with the Colts.
Just missing practice is almost unfathomable for Manning. Since signing with the Colts after a five-day contract holdout in 1998, he had not missed a practice until Sunday.
The only other time he missed practice was during bowl week of his senior season at Tennessee, and on Sunday, Manning was anxious to get back on the field.
"I feel like I could play if I needed to, but right now, you have to rest up," he said. "I'll do some things this week."
Manning did some things Sunday.
He threw during a few drills and on the side.
Mostly, though, he was relieved the injury was not more severe.
"I was pretty fortunate," Manning said. "That is the type of play where you can be hurt pretty seriously. The thing that I thought saved me was that, when I followed through, I was on my toe instead of being planted. If I'd have been firmly planted, it might have been worse."
Initially, Manning thought the ankle was the more serious injury. He said it was stiffer and causing more pain, but the MRI showed otherwise.
Now, Manning must deal with missing practice.
"I've been injured before," he said. "I just haven't had to miss any time.
"You kind of get little nicks, and I think this is a little nick in my knee and a little nick in my ankle."