MIAMI - The mystery surrounding whether Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney would play in the Super Bowl was answered on the first play from scrimmage.
Freeney started.
The other question - If he played, could he be effective? - was answered on the Saints' first drive of the second quarter.
With the Saints facing third-and-4 at the Colts' 23, Freeney steamrolled Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod to reach Brees, then pulled down the Saints quarterback with a left-handed grasp of Brees' jersey. The Saints settled for a field goal to cut the Colts' lead to 10-3.
It wasn't a bone-rattling sack, but it was a sack nonetheless, and fully satisfying for Freeney. “The sack was nice,” Freeney said. “It was good to see I could come out there and make a contribution.”
Alas, the rest of the game wasn't quite as fulfilling, as the Colts lost 31-17 to the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday at Sun Life Stadium.
Freeney played a significant portion of the game but wasn't his usual self, and the Colts were unable to get the type of pressure on Brees that they needed.
In fact, Freeney's sack was the only one of the game for the Colts as Brees turned in an MVP performance: 32-of-39 passing for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Freeney hadn't practiced for two weeks since suffering a torn ligament in his ankle during the Colts' AFC Championship game win over the Jets. He underwent around-the-clock treatment and was cleared to play.
His start was an early emotional lift for the Colts.
“Dwight worked his tail off,” Colts safety Melvin Bullitt said. “I had no doubt he would play because of the type of person Dwight is. He made a big play at a critical time for us.”
Freeney felt some pain throughout the game, however, and had to have his ankle retaped after the first half. Colts trainers worked on him periodically in the second half.
“It's hard to put percentages on it,” Freeney said. “Obviously, it wasn't 100 percent. It was kind of hard. It loosened a little bit in the second half.”
Colts coach Jim Caldwell said he would have to look at the film to accurately assess Freeney's play.
“He was effective early on,” Caldwell said. “He was moving up the field well. It was a gallant effort on his part.”
