Colts Wednesday Injury Report: Nine starters miss practice

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After their customary off day on Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts returned to the practice field on Wednesday to begin preparations for this Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.

It is a big game for both teams as they are both looking to compete for a playoff spot, as the Colts are currently leading the AFC South by a half of a game and the Steelers are currently the second team out.  We have now entered December where the playoff race really starts heating up, and this Sunday's game is an intriguing and important conference matchup, particularly when it comes to the wild card race.

We know that the Colts will be without a few key players once again, but let's take a look at the full practice report for theColts on Wednesday, followed by some comments:

Did Not Practice:

Mike Adams, S (ankle/hamstring)

Anthony Castonzo, LT (knee)

Phillip Dorsett, WR (ankle)

Jerrell Freeman, ILB (hamstring)

Andrew Luck, QB (abdomen/kidney)

Hugh Thornton, OL (elbow)

Erik Walden, OLB (heel)

Trent Cole, OLB (rest)

Vontae Davis, CB (rest)

Andre Johnson, WR (rest)

Robert Mathis, OLB (rest)

A few key starters for the Colts will once be out this Sunday, as left tackle Anthony Castonzo, quarterback Andrew Luck, and inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman are all week-to-week with their injuries.  The return date for all three is unknown, though they each will continue to be evaluated weekly.

Head coach Chuck Pagano said yesterday that wide receiver Phillip Dorsett is day to day (which is an improvement, as he had been week to week) and that the Colts are hopeful that he will be able to get him back on the practice field at some point this week, though it still seems likely that he'll miss the game on Sunday.  Safety Mike Adams is also day to day, and Pagano said today that he's hopeful that Adams could be back on the practice field on Thursday.

Starting right guard Hugh Thornton showed up on the injury report today as well, as he has an elbow injury.  At this point, it doesn't seem to be too serious and the hope is he'll be back at practice tomorrow, but that's something worth keeping an eye on.  The last thing the Colts need right now is another injured offensive lineman.

Erik Walden also showed up on the injury report with a heel injury.  He missed two days of practice last week with a foot injury, and it's assumed that this is the same injury that is lingering.  Since he played last Sunday despite missing two days of practice, I wouldn't get too concerned yet, but Walden is a guy the Colts can't afford to be without.