Lions coach Rod Marinelli said Dan Orlovsky likely will start this weekend against Indianapolis after showing no ill effects from the thumb injury that sidelined him the last five games. Orlovsky took almost all of the first-team reps in practice Thursday and, in the individual portion of practice reporters were allowed to watch, appeared slightly better than he did a day earlier in his return from a Nov. 2 injury.

“I was telling people yesterday, 'Tomorrow will be the big test,'” Orlovsky said. “Woke up and it felt good and came here today and it continued to feel good and in practice it just felt perfectly fine.

“It felt a lot better today. It felt a lot more stronger. It felt like my grip was there, I didn't have to alter my grip as much.”

Marinelli said he wouldn't hesitate to use Drew Stanton against the Colts if Orlovsky's thumb flares up on gameday. He also cautioned not to read anything into the Lions' reluctance to play Stanton. They signed Daunte Culpepper two days after Orlovsky's injury last month and named him the immediate starter, and are going with a less-than-100-percent Orlovsky over a healthy Stanton this week.

“I think he's got a great future,” Marinelli said of Stanton. “We got a lot of confidence in him and he's going to be a heck of a player.”

Culpepper did not practice for the second straight day Thursday and probably won't be available Sunday because of a shoulder injury, Marinelli said. He had started the last five games.