Freeney’s ankle sank the season
Freeney insisted he play to the end without a painkilling injection.
“Hats off to Dwight. He’s a warrior, that guy, the pain you could see he was in all night,” Colts defensive tackle Dan Muir said. “For him to come out and play the way he did, you can’t ask for no more from him. He’s a warrior.”
While there was some grimacing in pregame warm-ups, the Colts’ franchise leader in sacks with 84 showed he could play just two weeks after a fateful misstep in the AFC Championship Game.
“Once I got on the field and was running around, I knew I was going to be fine,” Freeney said.
His sack forced the Saints to settle for a field goal, their first points. Then the defense came up with a goal-line stand to preserve a touchdown lead. At halftime, the Colts led 10-6.
But Freeney’s ankle stiffened at the break. He wasn’t going to be able to move as well. He ran on the sideline to try to loosen it up. The ankle was re-taped. It was too tight. It was re-taped again.
“He was effective early on,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “It was a gallant effort on his part.”
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