Notebook: Colts’ Collins still feels concussion
The concussion quarterback Kerry Collins suffered in the Indianapolis Colts’ Sept. 25 loss to Pittsburgh wasn’t his first, but it apparently is the worst.
“I can look back over my career and I can remember at least a half-dozen or more small ones,” Collins said Thursday. “I’ve never had a lot of big ones, and this one’s hung around longer than any I’ve had before. They expect me to recover fully and whenever it happens, it happens.”
Collins was cleared for limited practice Wednesday, and handled similar light work Thursday. He has not been cleared to play and Curtis Painter is expected to make his second straight start Sunday when the Colts meet the Kansas City Chiefs at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Collins, 38 and in his 17th season, sustained his concussion in the third quarter of the 23-20 loss to the Steelers. Linebacker James Farrior hit him in the head-shoulder area after Collins had delivered a pass. Farrior wasn’t penalized for the late hit but was fined $15,000 by the NFL.
Collins returned for one series “but started getting (concussion) symptoms. (I) was lightheaded and didn’t feel like me being out there at that point was going to give the team the best chance to win.”
Collins added he played through the majority of his previous concussions. He estimated he suffered a couple in college and perhaps a half-dozen in the pros.
“I think I came out of one game because of one,” Collins said. “It’s been new territory for me to experience symptoms as long as I have, but I am getting better.”
Sims eager to play
Colts linebacker Ernie Sims might return to the lineup Sunday for the first time since suffering a knee injury in the season opener at Houston.
“I’m as ready as I can ever be,” he said. “I’m definitely eager to get back out there. I didn’t really get a chance to experience the full effect the first game. I’ve just been sitting as a bystander.
“I’m definitely biting at the bit, ready to get back to it.”
If Sims is cleared to play against the Chiefs, he likely will resume his role as one of the nickel linebackers.
More medical matters
It appears Ryan Diem will miss a third straight game with a sprained left ankle, which likely means a starting role at right tackle for recently signed Michael Toudouze.
Diem was held out of another workout Thursday. There’s a chance he could practice today and still start at right tackle against the Chiefs.
“He’s one guy that if all of a sudden he became cleared . . . then he’s been in the system long enough that he could certainly function very well,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “But it’s going to be questionable.”
If Diem is out, Toudouze would start. Toudouze has appeared in seven games with the Colts and his only career start — at right tackle — came at Buffalo in the snow in the final game of the 2009 season.
Foster upbeat after surgery
Defensive tackle Eric Foster is out for the season but back home and upbeat after surgery in Tampa, Fla., to repair a dislocated right ankle. The injury occurred in the second quarter of Monday night’s loss to the Buccaneers.
On his Twitter account, Foster wrote, “Back in Indy. Smooth ride on @JimIrsay private jet. I wanted to make a pit stop at krispy creme lol. Thanks for all the support.”
Earlier, Foster provided a post-operation update.
“Surgery went well guys,” he wrote. “I will come back stronger than ever. Lord don’t move my mountain just give me the strength to climb.”
Etc.
Although Sunday’s game officially is a sellout, approximately 300 tickets were returned by the Chiefs and are available to the public. Tickets are available at the Lucas Oil Stadium ticket office, Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, (800) 745-3000 or at ticketmaster.com. . . . A Downtown flyover by a UH-1H Huey Helicopter is planned prior to Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff. The Huey is scheduled to take a north-to-south route.