Colts add two starters to injury report
Associated Press
Fri, Feb 2, 2007
DAVIE, Fla. -- The Indianapolis Colts added defensive end Robert Mathis and cornerback Jason David, both starters, to the injury report Friday after their last full practice before the Super Bowl.
Mathis left practice early because of back spasms and was listed as probable. David, who has battled a nagging abdomen injury this season, sat out the entire practice and was listed as probable.
Safety Bob Sanders and guard Ryan Lilja, also starters, took the day off, but both are expected to play.
Mathis led the Colts with 9 1/2 sacks this season and has consistently pressured quarterbacks when opponents use extra blockers to stop three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney. Coach Tony Dungy said Mathis should play Sunday.
``He`s fine,`` Dungy said. ``He left as a precaution.``
Indy`s other starting cornerback, Nick Harper, has been listed as questionable all week with a sprained left ankle. He missed practice again Friday and Dungy said he would be a game-time decision.
``We decided it didn`t make any sense for him to go out and try to practice today,`` Dungy said. ``We`ll wait to see how Nick feels on Sunday at the stadium.``
On a hot day when Peyton Manning and the equipment staff worked busily to break in the team`s allotted 54 balls for the game, Dungy had two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves speak to the team.
Dungy, who spent one Indianapolis race day in Castroneves` pit, said he wanted Castroneves, who lives in Miami, to tell players what it feels like to win a big prize.
``I thought he would be a good person to talk to our team since we`re trying to win the big one,`` Dungy said. ``He talked to the team about sticking together and getting it done.``
Kicker Adam Vinatieri and punter Hunter Smith spent 20 minutes working out indoors at the Miami Dolphins` complex because of windy conditions.
The Colts are expected to hold a final walkthrough Saturday at the facility instead of at the stadium, where most Super Bowl teams do their walkthroughs. Dungy said he made that decision because anything else wasn`t part of the Colts` normal routine.