First of all, I think this is huge news and I mean HUGE!. This guy demands a double team and dictates what an offense can and cannot do. This injury figures big to me in the total and the overall outcome of the day. If you have to keep chipping this guy with a RB or TE (and you do) that slows down a big part of your O. So to me, it is important if he plays or not.
Now what is his injury? I saw it happen during the Jets game when he rolled his ankle or inverted his ankle late in the game. This is a classic injury to the ankle and one most of us "jocks" on covers have had at one time. This is another of those hurt like hell injuries. The inversion of the ankle tears the ATF ligament (anterior talofibular ) and the medial calcanear ligament. In rare circumstances it tears the PTF ligament. These ligament are responsible for the lateral stability of the ankle. If you have had one, you know that any "tweak" laterally or to the outside with this sprain will make you cry like your brother just stole your favorite toy. Straight running is not that much of a problem.
Freeney play the R DE positiion most of the time (although I have seen him moved all over the field). If he has no stability laterally on the ankle he will not be able to turn the corner so to speak. This is the classic Freeny move where he blows by the big L tackle and explodes to the quarterback while running on the ankle and foot with a right lateral force. If these ligaments are not healed properly, he will lose his most effective weapon! Freeney with no speed rush ,Ali with no jab, Vick not being able to scramble, etc etc .
What can the Colts do to combat this? If I was the Colts ( and I admit I have never played or coached football but have watched far far far too much) I would invert my ends. Swith Freeney and Mathis. This would allow the speedy Freeney to rush on his good ankle....this may very well happen. Also, I am sure those trainers are doing all they can to make this thing better but at the end of the day, ligaments are very slow healing. That said I do NOT KNOW THE EXTENT OF HIS INJURY OR HIS ABILITY TO HEAL AND HE COULD VERY WELL BE 100% COME GAME TIME. I do kind of feel watching the injury occur and the interviews of the Colts today that he is TODAY definitely still hurting.
I am going to watch this site and the television and see how he looks as he cuts on the ankle and moves laterally on the ankle. I would not put much faith in his forward speed or movement. I would encourage anyone who watches a practice to add to this thread on how he looks LATERALLY and his comfort level.
One last thought.......these injuries can take months to heal fully, if he plays and has any trauma laterally he could very well reinjure this thing despite the mounds of tape he will have on it.
GLA
Crash
Taking the Aints and the Under but may can the Under if the big end does not play.
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