Magnificent Seven IX: On Indianapolis Colts DE Dwight Freeney, S Bob Sanders and DE Robert Mathis

Indianapolis Colts DE Dwight Freeney (Darron Cummings/AP Photo)

Each week on Examiner.com, Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser offers seven thoughts on all things Indianapolis Colts. Without further delay, the Magnificent Seven for the fifth week of the 2009 regular season, in which the Colts will visit the Tennessee Titans at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday night . . .

7) Dwight Freeney is special. During the first few weeks of Magnificent Seven, the topic of WR Reggie Wayne's value was oft-repeated. Perhaps too oft. Perhaps that can be said in recent weeks of DE Dwight Freeney, but let's not move too far past the Seattle game without commenting a final time on the impressiveness of just what Freeney did. He missed all three practices with a quadriceps injury that most reports said would keep him out 2-to-3 weeks. And while such reports are sometimes wrong, in this case, Colts doctors didn't think he would play against Seattle last Sunday, either. Freeney did indeed play, and got pressure on Seahawks QB Seneca Wallace throughout. He also had his fifth sack of the season. He is perhaps off to the best start of his career. It's not just that he's playing signficantly better than last season, when he made a fourth Pro Bowl, but the Colts' defensive tackles are playing better, which 1) creates more passing situations and 2) allows Freeney more opportunities to rush the passer. As is the case with QB Peyton Manning -- who called Freeney's performance Sunday "inspiring" -- Freeney is an all-time talent at the peak of his game. If the Colts' tackles continue at a high level, Freeney could have a career year.

6) Mythbusting. This may not make much sense for Magnificent Seven, but it's something that has been misrepresented at times in recent years. That's the talent level of the Colts. It's not that media, observers and experts spend a lot of time saying the Colts are bereft of talent, just that whenever people talk about the most-talented teams, teams such as San Diego -- the annual Most Talented Team in The NFL -- always seem to get mentioned ahead of Indianapolis. Strange, because when you look the Colts' elite-level players -- QB Peyton Manning, WR Reggie Wayne, TE Dallas Clark, CB Kelvin Hayden, S Bob Sanders, Freeney, DE Robert Mathis, RB Joseph Addai, RB Donald Brown, C Jeff Saturday, WR Anthony Gonzalez -- there aren't too many teams that out-talent the Colts. Great teams in the NFL typically need a core of eight or nine great players. The Colts certainly have that and at the elite, elite level -- Manning, Freeney, Wayne -- are there many teams with a better trio?

5) Next man up. OK, that's a cliche and anyone around the Colts might be excused for tiring of hearing it. The Colts like to use the cliche whenever a starter is injured and a backup has to play. But cliche or not, the Colts are one of the NFL's best teams at overcoming injury. In seven years around the Colts, Head Coach Tony Dungy never talked about injuries hurting the team. His idea was reserve players typically play well given the opportunity. Dungy is gone, but that approach remains. The Colts are 4-0 and CB Kelvin Hayden has missed two games, S Bob Sanders has missed four and CB Marlin Jackson is still recovering from a knee injury. The team also has been without LB Gary Brackett for two games, DT Ed Johnson for one and WR Anthony Gonzalez has been out since Week 1. Manning often has said in recent months that Dungy's influence can be felt in many ways, and that's one of the most obvious areas.

4) Yes, he is needed. Sanders practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, and although no timetable has been set for the return of the 2007 AP Defensive Player of the Year, it's the first time he has practiced in any capacity this season. Sanders missed 10 games last season with a knee injury. He also missed 12 in 2006 and it has become vogue in some circles to say the Colts don't need Sanders and that they are a better team with Melvin Bullitt, who has started in Sanders' place the last two seasons. Frustration is understable. It also has a tendency to make people think and say silly things. Bullitt is a very, very good player and he has helped the Colts win games. He likely would start for many NFL teams. If Sanders and Antoine Bethea are healthy, the Colts are not one of those teams. Sanders is a dynamic player who energizes teammates and makes game-turning players few safeties can make. The Colts are a good defense already without Sanders, but when you have an opportunity to put a talent such as his on the field, you do it.

3) The curious slide of Tony Ugoh. He began his career as a starting left tackle and spent two seasons there. Now, Ugoh not only isn't starting at left tackle for the Colts, he wasn't active last week after not being on the injury report. Third-year veteran Dan Federkeil was active instead. Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell said this week Ugoh was a bit bumped and bruised last week and the Colts gave him a rest. But when asked this week who would start at left tackle in place of LT Charlie Johnson, who sustained a knee injury, Caldwell didn't specify either Ugoh or Federkeil. It's one thing for Ugoh to slide from the starting lineup, but during training camp, he was competing for the starting left tackle job and now he's not guaranteed moving in when Johnson's hurt. That's a big slide and one that makes you wonder if he'll contribute again.

2) A real test. Forget the Wildcat formation a minute. There will be plenty of time to discuss that later in the week, because there just doesn't seem any question anymore Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher plans to use it. And that makes sense, given Miami's success rushing against the Colts from the formation in Week 2. But Wildcat aside, the Titans' game Sunday is a real test for the Colts -- really, the biggest test of the season. The Colts entered the season wanting to improve their run defense, which they have done. They held Arizona to 24 yards rushing two weeks ago and Seattle to 49 yards rushing last week. Good performances, but the Cardinals didn't try to run and the Seahawks are really, really struggling. The Titans' run offense is the best the Colts will have played this season. If they can slow Titans RB Chris Johnson -- i.e., keep him around 100 yards or less -- this defense may be in good shape for the long term.

1) Make a decision. Mathis doesn't get written about much -- perhaps because the 2008 Pro Bowl DE is one of the quietest guys on the Colts. He's also one of the wittiest and most insightful, but that's not the point of this entry. The point is Mathis is once again in the midst of a productive, game-breaking season and he's not getting much recognition. He had three sacks last week and forced two fumbles, and perhaps that's considered routine for Mathis, because he didn't earn AFC Player of the Week honors. But here's what's odd about Mathis: he seems to be neither rated or underrated. This past summer, whenever writers threw together such lists, Mathis rarely was mentioned as a Top 50 or 100 player. Yet, whenever you saw underrated lists, he wasn't on those, either. He has led his team in sacks each of the last four seasons and that team on the other side of the defensive line has one of the best pass-rushers of his generation, Freeney. He's either a top player or he's underrated. Either way, he's darned good.

*** THE TOP FIVE SEASONS OF COLTS QB PEYTON MANNING. HERE

*** COFFEE WITH THE COLTS: INDY FOOTBALL REPORT EDITOR JOHN OEHSER'S NEXT-DAY LOOK AT COLTS-SEAHAWKS HERE.

*** COLTS QB PEYTON MANNING CALLS 4-0 RECORD A GOOD START: INDY FOOTBALL REPORT EDITOR JOHN OEHSER'S GAME STORY. HERE

*** COLTS QB PEYTON MANNING ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FORMER COLTS RB EDGERRIN JAMES HERE

*** WR PIERRE GARCON AMONG FIVE KEY EARLY-SEASON DEVELOPMENTS FOR 3-0 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS HERE ***

*** WHAT DO THE COLTS HAVE TO DO TO WIN THE AFC SOUTH? READ IFR EDITOR JOHN OEHSER'S FIVE KEYS HERE

*** REVIEWING COLTS PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN'S WEEKLY RADIO SHOW HERE. PART ONE

*** REVIEWING COLTS PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN'S WEEKLY RADIO SHOW HERE. PART TWO

DWIGHT FREENEY NEWS

* Colts quiet on status of DE Dwight Freeney

* DE Dwight Freeney out 2-to-3 weeks

* Freeney not ready to accept 2-to-3 week diagnosis