Injury to force Brackett out of lineup

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The Colts are back at work hoping their perfect November rolls right into December. But they'll have to do it without their quarterback on defense.

The Colts will be without linebacking leader Gary Brackett for awhile. Brackett cracked his fibula, the lower leg bone, on a play in Cleveland on Sunday. They hope to have him back late in the season, if not the playoffs. The news means that newcomer Buster Davis and Freddy Keiaho will have to step up.

"He's the team captain and anytime you lose a guy like that it's tough. He means a lot to this football team," said Keiaho.

"It's like playing with a new quarterback in there. He does a lot of communication on the field. He's been a leader for us, a captain. So it'll be an adjustment playing without him," said Tony Dungy.

Meantime, center Jeff Saturday said he'll be ready to go soon.

One area where the Colts have stayed healthy is at defensive end, where Robert Mathis is making a name for himself. Mathis was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after two sacks and a fumble return for a game-winning touchdown against Cleveland. Playing opposite Dwight Freeney, Mathis leads the team with nine sacks and said the award is humbling.

"It means a lot. It means I'm getting respect from my peers and the hard work is paying off," said Mathis. "I'm not a big rah rah-type guy. So I like to just come, do my job and go home."

"Robert's spinning off the bus. He's a lot like me. (He's) going to do anything he can to make a play. He'll do a back flip if he has to get there, he just has a motor and keeps doing it," said Freeney.