Freeney Has Ankle Tear, May Miss Super Bowl

NFL News - February 1st, 2010 - Written by John Ritter

As the Indianapolis Colts prep for one of the best passing attacks in football, the stark reality is they might be without their best pass rusher.

In just another blow to an already tattered defense, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported defensive end Dwight Freeney has a torn ligament in his ankle, which will make playing in the Super Bowl extremely painful, if he is able to play at all.

Freeney has been the center of speculation ever since he came up hobbling against the New York Jets in the AFC Championship. The team has told reporters that the injury is just an ankle sprain with no indication of tearing. He is listed as doubtful.

"He is under the care of our athletic training staff," Kelley said. "Nothing we have seen changes our diagnosis that he is questionable. He has a third-degree, low basketball sprain."

As Schefter points out, a third-degree sprain involves some tearing by definition.

Freeney has been seen in Indianapolis in a walking boot and has been receiving treatment all week. He did not fly to Miami with his Pro Bowl teammates to take part in the game's festivities Sunday night. Instead, he stayed back to heal in a hyperbaric chamber, and use an ARP, all which stimulate healing of the damaged area. He has been said to use the device several times during his career to allow quicker recovery.

He only missed two games this season after playing the entire 2008 year injury-free.

Freeney had 13 1/2 sacks this season, third best in the league and has continually been Indianapolis' best pass rusher since joining the NFL in 2002.

New Orleans is an underdog by as much as six points, according to most NFL Betting Lines, but may get a break in the odds if Freeney can't go. The Saints led the league with 31.9 points per game and 403.8 yards. They score 76 points in two NFL Playoff games.

"It's hard to speculate at this point," Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. "Dwight is one of our best players, we know that. But all season long Coach Caldwell has talked about picking up the bayonet. Someone's got to step up. If Dwight were not to be able to go that would be tough, but somebody else will step up and we'll feel confident in whoever that is."

Indianapolis is already without three of it's four starters from the secondary.