Freeney faces potential last home game

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The Colts will be short-handed on the defensive line when they wrap up the regular season at Lucas Oil Stadium against Houston Sunday.

Both starters Antonio Johnson and Cory Redding have been ruled out with injury but both should be good to go in the wild card playoff. The rest of the starters will play, said coach Chuck Pagano. He plays to win, not rest his guys, but one man who may be making his last appearance wearing the horseshoe is Dwight Freeney.

The 2002 first round draft pick and seven-time pro bowler is in the last year of his hefty contract, and although his production has slipped — somewhat due to a lingering high ankle sprain suffered in the season opener — D-Free is among the NFL's all-time top pass rushers. WISH-TV Sports Director Anthony Calhoun asked him if he knows this Sunday might be his curtain call.

“I've thought about it. It does kind of creep in. I think anyone who tells you he doesn't is lying,” said Freeney. “You don't know what's going to happen at the end of the year, and the strangest things happen, look at last year. Everybody thought Peyton would be here and he's not — two years ago was his last game, so hopefully this isn't it for me. This is a business from their side and my side, and I guess we'll figure it out when the season's over with, but I appreciate everything this city has done, the fans have done. It's been a great ride, and I hope we can continue it."

Freeney will start again opposite what he calls his partner in crime and current pro-bowler, Robert Mathis.