"The Indianapolis Colts arrived in South Florida on Monday afternoon in preparation for Super Bowl XLIV, guardedly optimistic Dwight Freeney's aching and suddenly newsworthy right ankle won't keep him out of their most important game in three years.

A pair of orthopedic surgeons aren't ready to fall in line. At best, they said, it's highly unlikely the Colts' five-time Pro Bowl defensive end and career sack leader will be his usual disruptive self against the New Orleans Saints in Sun Life Stadium on Sunday. A Grade III sprain won't allow it.

"This is a guy who depends on his push-off and speed and he's going to be hindered by (the injury) significantly," said Steven Weinfeld, the chief foot and ankle surgeon in the Department of Orthopedics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. "He's certainly not going to be fully recovered."

Matthew Lavery, a sports medicine physician and orthopedic surgeon with OrthoIndy in Indianapolis, noted "the ligaments are not going to be completely healed two weeks after the injury."