Still-depleted Colts ready for Denver

Bob Sanders is apparently the new Corey Simon, in that we keep hearing that he'll return soon, and it keeps getting pushed back. Sanders did not practice on Friday and it now seems more than questionable whether he'll play on Sunday. While the secondary has performed well without him, his presence is missed. Sanders brings an intimidation, not to mention some bone-jarring tackling skills, to the defense. Players like Nick Harper (right) will have to step up again. Marlin Jackson might be called upon for safety duty, since the Colts already lost Mike Doss for the season to a torn ACL.

"It's a long season and you never know who's going to be in and who's going to be out," Harper said. "When you have backup guys come in and contribute just like the guys in front of them, that's always going to be huge."

As for playing in Denver on Sunday, the Broncos' home-field advantage can't be ignored, but the Colts have shown they can often play as well on the road as at home. They'll be prepared for anything, as I wrote in my column today.

The environment can't be any more electric than the ones the Colts dealt with against the Giants and Jets in the Meadowlands already this year. It might be colder. It might not be. But if the Colts perform adequately on defense and well on special teams, they should come home 7-0.