Score one for the Fans

Yesterday was one of those times. Yesterday we linked to 18to88 reader Cass's fan post on Stampede Blue where tried to play junior medic and diagnose Dwight Freeney based on the symptoms and known issues. At the time, he thought Freeney's injury would cost him a handful of games because of a strained quad.

Then Bill Barnwell of footballoutsiders tweeted that it was a torn quad. We wept. We gnashed our teeth. We cursed. Freeney was done!

That is until Cass pointed out that a strained quad and a torn quad are essentially the same thing. Whew.

Since then there have been two different reports as to when to expect Freeney, the most recent claiming he'll be out 2-3 weeks. While that certainly makes it doubtful he'll play in the Tennessee game, with a bye and then the hapless Rams on the docket, it now appears that Freeney will hopefully be in good shape for the tough stretch of games starting with San Francisco in November. The Colts schedule in November is manageable, but more difficult than the early section. Indy plays SF, Hou, NE, @Bal, @Hou, and Ten. That's the stretch when they'll need to have Freeney. With any modicum of luck, the Colts should be able to go at least 2-1 or 3-1 without him. Because neither the Rams nor the 49ers have explosive passing offenses, the Colts don't need to rush Freeney back. They can give him an extra week or two of rest if necessary. I realize the 49ers are a solid club, but they'll try to beat the Colts by running the ball so if you had to pick a game against a solid team for Freeney to miss, that would be the one.

To date the single most informative article written about what to expect from Freeney's injury was written by a fan. Will wonders never cease.

Comments (13) Add Comment

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by Cass, September 29, 2009

:-)

...
written by A.J., September 29, 2009

Go Cass! Go Cass! It's your birthday!!

... well, actually, it's not really, but that's how the song goes, isn't it? smilies/cheesy.gif

...
written by DemondSanders, September 29, 2009

The Colts can not lose Freeney. He is the most important player on the team after Peyton.

...
written by DemondSanders, September 29, 2009

So in summary: This is really good news.

...not to jump the gun
written by Doug England, September 29, 2009

Man, over the last year and a half, it has to have been tough to be a Seahawks fan. They have been killed by injuries. So although I am not assuming anything, I'm hopeful that the offense and home crowd can get the Colts a victory Sunday.

So my question is about the Titans. Do you buy into the notion that with the Titans resorting to their keep the ball away from Petyon tactics, that Freeney's absence really won't be a factor?

...
written by DZ, September 29, 2009

Well, the Titans only allowed 12 sacks all of last year (3 in the last game vs Indy where they barely tried), but they've given up 5 so far, so maybe there's some seriously line regression (or they just had to play Pitt and NYJ who are good pass rush teams). For now, we'll assume that sacks are at a premium against them, so there's a good chance Freeney would be shut out anyway.

The thing about Freeney is that he can change ANY game he's in, so losing him is always a big deal, but yeah, generally speaking I'd much rather have him healthy for a team like NE or AZ that wants to throw 50 times than a team like Tenn or SF that wants to run 35 times.

From Johnny O, BP on D Free
written by Anonguy, September 29, 2009

“The positive is that as we walked out of the stadium (Sunday night), he said he felt good and he was having no difficult walking,” Colts President Bill Polian said on his weeky radio show Monday. “He basically said, ‘If I can walk, I can play.’ We’ll see. The tests were done Monday. My sense is we’ll probably have to play it by ear as the week goes on. I have not received any bad news at this point, let me put it that way.”

Also, remember that Dwight was recovering for the AZ game from a back injury too, and still mauled Mike Gandy like nobody's business.

...
written by Willy Duer, September 29, 2009

meanwhile, real "journalists" like Don Banks are giving us stellar articles including quality researched statements like "Tom Coughlin's guys haven't missed the postseason since Eli's rookie year, and it'll be an NFL-best five trips in a row in '09."

Silly Willy
written by Anonguy, September 29, 2009

Everyone knows 5 is greater than 7

...
written by Monkey Business, September 29, 2009

Eli isn't even the best QB in his immediate family, much less the NFL.

...I agree about Freeney
written by Doug England, September 29, 2009

I knew what your answer would be about Freeney, really before I asked it. The truth is, like Demond has pointed out, Dwight is the Colts' second MVP, and playing any game without him makes me nervous. (Even the SeaHawks) I was just searching for some solice.

The devestation of the loss at home two years ago to the Chargers in the playoffs, was "slightly" eased for me by the fact that going to New England without Freeney wouldn't have been any fun to watch.

I think teams that don't play the Colts every year like Arizona, can't really appreciate how great Freeney is, and think he can be blocked by a single mere mortal.

A single mortal who holds 70% of the time
written by Bob M, September 29, 2009

grrrrrrr.

93 should just sew handles onto his jersey. Or Monkey Biz can photoshop some on--get your very own Dwight Freeney jersey with its own handholds.

At least he wasn't tripped/leg-whipped/crack-backed.

...no need for handles, that is what his neck is for
written by Doug England, September 29, 2009

Like every other Colts fan, I've watched week after week as obvious holds against Dwight never get called. (I was shocked Sunday night when they actually called the grab him around the neck tactic that Bob M. correctly points out is used at least 70% of the time.)

I thought Polian's comments on his radio show were very interesting. Obviously, the constant holding of Freeney and Mathis is a sore spot for the Colts, and yet BP doesn't want to say too much in public. But his comments on how since Freeney and Mathis are much shorter than the man mountains trying to block them, the officials let them get away with putting their hands around the Colts Dynamic Duo's heads and necks because of the built in height differential.