DE Dwight Freeney started the game at right end despite missing all of the team's practices since suffering a third-degree sprain and a torn ligament in his right ankle in the AFC Championship Game. He was very effective in the first half, showing his trademark spin moves and bull-rushing Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod right into the pocket for a sack of quarterback Drew Brees. But the long halftime intermission gave the ankle time to stiffen up. Freeney had it re-wrapped and was seen changing socks on the sideline, but wasn't as effective in the second half as he was in and out of the game. "I think, more or less, after the half there was more stiffness," Freeney said. "I kept on running back and forth (on the sideline), trying to get it going again. ... Obviously it wasn't 100 (percent). It was kind of hard. It loosened a little bit in the second half. 28//2010

Freeney had the lone sack of the Super Bowl in a 31-17 loss to the Saints on Sunday.
02/08/2010