Sunday's Buccaneerss-Colts game at the RCA Dome will be a battle of attrition as much as it is a matchup of division leaders.
Defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts can open 5-0 for the third straight season if it beats the 3-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Colts could be without several key players on Sunday.
Several Indy players were hurt in last week's 38-20 win over Denver. Starting linebacker Rob Morris will miss the season, while wide receiver Marvin Harrison, running back Joseph Addai and safety Bob Sanders all could miss this game. Harrison (knee), Addai (shoulder), and Sanders (ribs) didn't practice for the Colts at all this week and are all game-time decisions. (Colts Injury Report)
"Coach (Tony) Dungy always says guys have to be ready to step up and step in, and we did that, but you hope we can get some of these guys back. You don't like seeing guys leave the game due to injuries," quarterback Peyton Manning said.
If Addai can't play, the Colts will likely start Kenton Keith , who has 23 carries for 134 yards, including 10 for 80 yards against the Broncos.
The Bucs, meanwhile, placed starting left tackle Luke Petitgout and running back Cadillac Wiliams on injured reserve with knee injuries earlier in the week. Second-year LT Donald Penn will replace Petitgout, while Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham carry the load in the running game in place of Williams. (Buccaneers Injury Report)
"Pittman helped us win a couple division playoffs here and Earnest Graham is clearly a capable runner and receiver," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "We'll move on and do the best we can in the absence of these two players."
In addition to those two players' season-ending injuries, the Bucs have four starters ? cornerback Phillip Buchanon (foot), wide receiver Ike Hilliard (ankle), cornerback Brian Kelly (groin) and defensive end Greg Spires (ankle) - listed as questionable on their injury report. All did practice Friday, however.As for those players on the field, Indy still has the future Hall of Famer in Manning. The Super Bowl MVP has started 148 consecutive games and has thrown for 1,066 yards, eight TDs and just one interception on the season. The Colts have won a franchise-best 11 games in a row at home.
The Buccaneers, meanwhile, have won three in a row since an opening week loss in Seattle to lead in the NFC South. Keep in mind, however, that the three teams they have beaten have a combined two wins.
Defense, as usual, is the reason for any success Tampa Bay has, as the Bucs are allowing the fewest points (11.0 per game) and fifth-fewest yards (291.8) in the league. The Bucs held the Panthers to 236 yards in a road win last week. The Colts, meanwhile, are ranked third in total offense, averaging 403.5 yards per game.
Last but not least for this game is the link Colts coach Tony Dungy has to the Bucs. Dungy turned around that franchise before he was let go - the year before the Bucs won the Super Bowl with most of his players. Dungy was 54-42 as the Tampa Bay head coach from 1996-2001.
"Coach Dungy is a legend here and in the country as a football coach." Gruden said.
Dungy, meanwhile, is focused on the task at hand, not his former players or coaches on the other sideline.
"What really matters is that we have a chance to go to 5-0," he said.
The lowdown: This is one of those games where you will want to wait until the last minute to place a bet. If Addai, Harrison and Sanders play, the Colts, 9.5-point favorites on WagerWeb.com, should win in a rout, but if, say, two of the three are out, the Bucs could cover here.
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