Professor

Top Colts defender Bob Sanders feels 'strong' in return to field

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Super Bowl champions finally have their top defensive playmaker back on the field.

Former Pro Bowl safety Bob Sanders, a key to last season's dramatic playoff turnaround for the Indianapolis Colts defense, practiced Wednesday for the first time since having offseason surgery on his left shoulder.

Sanders had been on the physically unable to perform list since the Colts opened training camp and had been limited to conditioning work.

"I feel strong, I feel fast, and I'm ready to go," Sanders said before Wednesday's workout.

Sanders is the Colts' biggest hitter and teammates credit him with bringing a more aggressive attitude to the defense, a difference that helped revitalize the team's defense during the 2006 playoffs.

He started only four games in the regular season when the Colts ranked last in the league against the run. When Sanders returned in the postseason, the Colts responded by limiting Kansas City's Larry Johnson to 32 yards on 13 carries and held Baltimore without a touchdown.

"He's a big part of this defense," three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney said. "We saw him for only four games last year, and he brings a lot to this defense. He really does make a difference."

For three weeks Sanders said he felt good enough to play but acknowledged coaches and doctors were being cautious about letting him hit too soon or too often.

"I think, actually, we've overdone it as far as the time I could have come back," Sanders said last week. "But the extra time did help me get stronger."

Sanders will still face some limitations. He is expected to play in Saturday night's preseason game against Detroit, though coach Tony Dungy was unsure whether Sanders would play into the third quarter like most of the starters usually do for the third exhibition game.

"He brings an energy and a physicality that we really like," Dungy said. "He probably will be on a play count, but I don't know what that is yet. We'll see how he gets through practice this week, but it's probably not going to be 35 or 40 plays."

Even without Sanders in the lineup, the Colts' defense has looked more aggressive during the preseason.

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Aviator

Hell yeah, can't wait to see Bob fly around the field!

Professor

I hope the complete loss of DT's doesn't hurt that run defense too bad, Reagor and Simon gone, it has to have some sort of impact

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BeastJacobs

It definitely will. But Bob, man he hits so hard.

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Professor

they also lost Cato June too, that team will be involved in shootouts like Colts from a few years back

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BeastJacobs

Cato June was a huge piece to their defense too.

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Aviator

Yeah the defensive losses were tough. I'm concerned especially at DT. But I'm not too worried about our LB's and especially our db's. That Freddy Keiho has really impressed me at wlb so far this pre-season. One other worry I have is that Bob Sanders is so reckless, that you wonder if he can make it all season without significant injuries. If so, our back-up safties leave a lot to be desired.

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^Sig By 85D^

Game555

I'm personally not sweating the defensive losses, providing Sanders is healthy the whole year. I mean really, is it that big of a deal when you've got one of the statistically worst defenses in NFL history when you lose some of the starters? Now Tarik Glenn, that may be a different story.

Professor

I am hearing good things about ugoh and they get rid of the ball so fast in Indy, it should affect the passing game too much, maybe a little more in the running game, but I bet they use a TE or a FB to lead block more than in the past.

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