Colts starting safety Mike Adams will play on Monday night vs. Panthers

The Indianapolis Colts were back on the practice field on Wednesday despite playing on Monday night this week, as head coach Chuck Pagano said that "this team needed to get back on the field." That's not a surprise, as the last thing the team needs after a bad loss on Sunday is an extra day off to think about it.  Rather, they need to get back on the field and begin working toward this next week.  Punter Pat McAfee even said earlier this week that it wouldn't be bad to play on Thursday this week, since Monday is such a long wait after a loss.

Regardless, the Colts will travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers on Monday Night Football, and they will have starting safety Mike Adams back on the field.  Adams missed Sunday's game against the Saints with a hamstring injury and he didn't practice on Wednesday, but Pagano said today that Adams will practice on Thursday and will play on Monday.

Adams has been an important part of the defense yet again this year after having a career year in 2014 and making the Pro Bowl, and Adams has stepped up again this year as the starting safety.  Starting six games, Adams has recorded 31 tackles, five passes defensed, and four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.  After tying for the NFL lead in takeaways last year, Adams is tied for the league lead in interceptions so far this year.  He was named the AFC Defensive player of the week in week five against the Texans, and his absence was noticeable last week against the Saints.

While Adams wasn't practicing today, rookie safety Clayton Geathers was back on the field after missing Sunday's game with a knee injury.  Pagano had said on Monday that he expected to have both Adams and Geathers back this week, and it sounds like that will indeed be the case.  The Colts could have two safeties back for their game Monday night, and that will be good news as they will need to be close to full health if they hope to beat the undefeated Panthers.