Colts' Secondary Gets Boost, But Will Freeney Be Ready?

The Indianapolis Colts have worked to their 11-0 record without three key members of the secondary for much of the season. They aren't getting back safety Bob Sanders or corner Marlin Jackson, but Kelvin Hayden -- the starter at left cornerback who has missed four straight games with a knee injury -- will likely be returning for Sunday's game.

Hayden, a fifth-year player in his third season as the starter, went through a full practice for the first time in four weeks Wednesday afternoon and is expecting to play against one of the few teams you could say are almost as hot as the Colts: the Tennessee Titans. His timing couldn't be better, either.

The Titans come in having won five straight games since Vince Young took the helm as their starting quarterback. Last week, Young threw for 387 yards -- obliterating his previous career-high of 305 -- and led his team on a game-winning 99-yard touchdown drive. Rookie wideout Kenny Britt appears to be coming into his own with Young, as he gained 128 yards on seven catches, including the game-winning score.

The Colts have been surviving with rookie corners Jacob Lacey and Jerraud Powers in Hayden's stead, but the extra boost will take some of the pressure off the newbies, especially in light of the banged up pass rushers. Robert Mathis should play, but he's dealing with a neck injury. However, the status of opposite side pass rusher Dwight Freeney -- who has the same 9 1/2 sacks Mathis does but garners more offensive attention -- is completely up in the air. He definitely wants to play, but it doesn't sound like a sure thing by any stretch.

"Pretty sore, but I might be back practicing (today) or Friday," Freeney said. "If this was the playoffs, I'd probably be out there. But the thing is, you have to be smart."

The Colts have little hope of shutting down the NFL's emerging best running back, Chris Johnson, so the emphasis will be on finding ways to eliminate Young's effectiveness in the passing game or when he leaves the pocket to scramble.

Getting back Hayden and Freeney would be paramount in this endeavor. The former sounds like a good bet, the latter, not so much.

One thing to consider: the Titans need this game a heck of a lot more than the Colts do.