The Indianapolis Star reports that the Colts have placed strong safety Bob Sanders on injured reserve with a torn left biceps. His season is now over.

Highly regarded as one of the premier safeties in the NFL, Sanders played in just two games this season while recording three tackles and one interception. This proceeds his 25-tackle, one-interception 2008 season in which he also battled injuries and started just six games.

Sanders is due to make $620,00 (plus a $2.17 million signing bonus and a $2.83 roster bonus) in 2010, $5.5 million in 2011 and $7 million in 2012. He turns 29 next February and beat writer Philip B. Wilson speculates that the Colts will cut their losses in the offseason to free up salary.

When healthy, Sanders is a game-changer from his safety position. He’s as versatile as Troy Polomalu and Ed Reed, and the best tackler of the trio. But injuries have ransacked his promising career and while he helped Indy win a Super Bowl a few years ago, maybe it is time to move on. He would certainly drum up a lot of interest on the free agent market because NFL teams are always in need of safeties.

His injury issues not withstanding, Sanders would definitely be worth the risk if the Colts do decide to part ways with him in the offseason.

Cleveland Browns:
Eric Mangini says that the Browns’ quarterbacks have been running the no-huddle since the first day of OTAs and every day during training camp. Mangini wants to create more tactical advantages this season to keep defenses guessing, which was a foreign concept to Romeo Crennel and Butch Davis when they were head coaches in Cleveland. (Cleveland Scores)

Indianapolis Colts:
Jim Caldwell says it’s only a matter of time before Bob Sanders is healthy again, although the head coach admitted that the safety’s knee problems could keep him out of the Colts’ season opener. (Indianapolis Star)

Oakland Raiders:
Beat writer David White says that JaMarcus Russell continues to follow good practices with bad ones and that the third year quarterback still has timing issues with his receivers. Still, with Jeff Garcia battling a calf injury, Russell’s starting job appears to be safe for now. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Houston Texans:
Rookie linebacker Brian Cushing will miss the next 2-3 weeks with a sprained left LCL injury. Cushing is expected to miss Houston’s first two preseason games, but the team is hoping that he’ll be healthy enough to play in the third. Zac Diles will fill in at strong-side linebacker while Cushing is out. (Houston Chronicle)

New York Jets:
The Jets have increased their contract offer to Leon Washington and reportedly are now willing to go as high as $4.5 million a year for the running back. No word yet on if Washington will accept the deal. (New York Daily News)

Carolina Panthers:
Receiver Steve Smith is expected to miss at least two weeks with a strained shoulder after suffering the injury in practice on Monday. Dwayne Jarrett is expected to fill in for Smith while he’s out, which is kind of like going from a corvette to a station wagon. (Charlotte Observer)

Indianapolis Colts:
Safety Bob Sanders is expected to meet with orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews soon. Sanders had another clean up procedure done on his knee this offseason and the Colts don’t know when he’ll be healthy again. He hasn’t practiced or played in game since Week 16 of last year. (Indianapolis Star)

Kansas City Chiefs:
Receiver Dwayne Bowe isn’t currently practicing with the Chiefs’ starters and apparently is in new head coach Todd Haley’s doghouse. Haley appears to be making an example of Bowe, who hasn’t responded well to KC’s new disciplined training habits. (Kansas City Star)

New England Patriots:
Tom Brady has yet to miss one practice since returning to action following ACL and MCL surgery. Brady continues to work out with a brace on his knee, although he’ll likely have to play with the brace the rest of his career. (Boston Globe)

Tampa Bay Bucs:
Receiver Antonio Bryant will be out for the next 3-4 weeks with a torn meniscus in his knee. Bryant could miss the entire preseason, but is expected to be healthy by Week 1. Still, the Bucs are thin at receiver and are implementing a new offense so Bryant’s injury is of concern. (Pewter Report)

Earnest Graham is listed ahead of Derrick Ward on Tampa’s depth chart, but considering the Bucs paid Ward like a starter this offseason, it’s wise not to read too much into this. (Buccaneers.com)

Miami Dolphins:
Former Hawaii product Davone Bess has been starting ahead of Greg Camarillo in Miami. Carmarillo appears to be completely recovered from ACL surgery, but Miami likes Bess’ speed and playmaking ability and see him as a starting flanker. (Miami Herald)

Below is a complete playoff preview for the four Wild Card games this weekend. In each game preview you’ll find a matchup breakdown, a player to keep an eye on, odds, and a predicted score. (What’s a game preview without a prediction?)

Rather amazingly, all four home teams are underdogs this weekend.

Atlanta Falcons (11-5) at Arizona Cardinals (9-7)
Saturday, January 3, 4:30 PM FOX
Opening Odds: Falcons –2
Over/Under: 51
Game Outlook:
Outside of having to face Kurt Warner and a Cardinals’ offense that averages over 290 passing yards a game, this is a great matchup for the Falcons. Arizona has had issues stopping the run over the past couple weeks and before Edgerrin James cracked 100 yards Sunday against the Seahawks, no Cardinal rusher hit the 100-yard mark in the previous seven games. Offensively, that means Atlanta can do what it does best – put the game in the hands of Michael Turner. “The Burner” is coming off a 208-yard rushing performance in Week 17 and hasn’t shown signs of wearing down despite this being the first season that he’s had to carry the full rushing load. Look for the Falcons to try to wear down Arizona’s front seven throughout the game and keep the Cards’ explosive offense on the sidelines. Once the Cardinal safeties start to creep up to stop Turner, Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey can start taking shots down the field with rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. Defensively, the Falcons will have to keep their safeties back in coverage and rely on their front seven to stop the Cardinals’ run game because corners Chris Houston and Dominique Foxworth can’t contain Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald in one on one coverage. Although Boldin has missed the final two games with a shoulder injury, he’s expected to play, which is obviously huge for Warner and the passing game. But if they can’t run the ball they’ll be to one-dimensional and the Falcons will be able to sit back in coverage.
X-Factor: John Abraham, Falcons DE
Abraham has been an absolute beast this season and if the Falcons can build a decent lead with their running game, it will allow Abraham to pin his ears back and head straight for the quarterback. Atlanta has done a nice job rotating their defensive linemen all season to keep them fresh and if Abraham can get pressure on Warner, he’s bound to make mistakes and turn the ball over.
Prediction: Falcons 30, Cardinals 27
Atlanta’s secondary is a concern (especially with safety Lawyer Milloy nursing a back injury), but the Vikings exposed the Cardinals two weeks ago and the Falcons will use the same blueprint.

Indianapolis Colts (12-4) at San Diego Chargers (8-8)
Saturday, January 3, 8:00PM ET CBS
Opening Odds: Colts –1.5
Over/Under: 51.5
Game Outlook:
No team in either conference heads into the postseason on a hotter streak than the Indianapolis Colts. Peyton Manning has been brilliant over the second half of the season and if San Diego defensive coordinator Ron Rivera can’t figure out a way to slow down the Colts’ passing attack, then the Chargers will be exciting the postseason in quick fashion. That said, the Chargers have played remarkably better since Rivera took over for Ted Cotrell midseason, and outside of Shawne Merriman’s absence, this is largely the same Chargers team that went into Indy last year and knocked off the Colts. This looks like a walk in the park for the Colts, but San Diego is a tough environment to play in and the Chargers are riding a four-game win streak. Indy is incredibly banged up on defense and if LaDainian Tomlinson runs as hard as Saturday as he did against Denver in Week 17, then the Chargers have a shot to pull off an upset. Bob Sanders, Gary Brackett and Freddie Keiaho all missed the Colts’ final regular season game, so it’ll be interesting to see if they’ll be healthy enough to play Saturday. It’s almost vital that the Colts have those defensive players in uniform this weekend.
X-Factor: Bob Sanders, S, Colts
As Sanders’ health goes, Indy’s defense goes. He’s great in coverage, but even better in run support and he can make up for Indy’s lack of size defensively. Much like the Steelers’ Troy Polomalu, Sanders is a mistake-eraser and the Colts absolutely need him to play against a Chargers’ offense that is averaging close to 30 points a game.
Prediction: Colts 33, Chargers 27
The Chargers might be 8-8, but they’ll surprise people this week by keeping this one close to the end. It’s just hard to go against Manning when he’s playing like a man determined to win another Super Bowl and it just seems like the Colts are flying under the radar with more attention being played to the Titans, Steelers and even the Dolphins and Ravens in the AFC.

Baltimore Ravens (11-5) at Miami Dolphins (11-5)
Sunday, January 4, 1:00PM ET CBS
Opening Odds: Ravens -3
Over/Under: 37
Game Outlook:
This game features two teams that had remarkable turnarounds in 2008. And no team had a bigger turnaround than the Dolphins, who went from a dismal 1-15 record a year ago to 11-5 this season and a division title. Nobody could have imagined in preseason that the Dolphins would be hosting a playoff game come January, but they are and it’s a testament to the job Bill Parcells and Tony Soprano did this season. That said, things aren’t going to be easy for Miami this Sunday. Baltimore’s defense is limiting opponents to 15.3 points per game this season, and just 179.8 passing and 81.3 rushing yards per game. The Dolphins have largely relied on keeping defenses off-balance with multiple formations and gadget plays, but those typically don’t work against the Ravens. And the Dolphins can’t just line up and physically go toe to toe with Baltimore for four quarters. Look for the Ravens to run blitz for most of the game and rely on Ed Reed to blanket the field in coverage. Quarterback Chad Pennington has largely played mistake-free this season, but he’ll have his work cut out for him this weekend and might have to make more plays in the passing game if the Dolphins expect to win. Offensively for Baltimore, they’ll continue to pound the ball on the ground and allow rookie quarterback Joe Flacco to take what the defense gives him in the passing game. The Ravens have allowed Flacco to throw vertically (as opposed to dink and dunk passes that most teams employ when they have a young quarterback) and he’s excelled in just his first-season. As long as he doesn’t make mistakes and cost his team field position, the Ravens should come away with a victory, which is amazing considering this is another team with a rookie head coach. John Harbaugh has been fantastic in working with Flacco and turning around a once anemic offense.
X-Factor: Ed Reed, S, Ravens
I love the playoffs because it’s usually a time when media outlets start paying a lot more deserved attention to the great safeties in the NFL. Reed is one of the best playmakers in the league and while he does get burned at times taking unnecessary risks, he’s one of the most versatile defensive backs in the league. Don’t blink or else you might miss one of his game-changing plays.
Prediction: Ravens 20, Dolphins 9
Baltimore’s defense is too good and while the Dolphins were a great story this year, they won’t make enough plays to beat a Ravens team destined for more this postseason.

Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1) at Minnesota Vikings (10-6)
Sunday, January 4, 4:30PM ET FOX
Opening Odds: Eagles -3
Over/Under: 41.5
Game Outlook:
How the hell did the Eagles get here? It doesn’t seem that long ago that they tied the Bengals, were drubbed by the Ravens, and had every media member in the Philadelphia area screaming for Andy Reid’s head. Now they’re heading to Minnesota to take on a Vikings team that barely squeaked by the Giants’ backups in Week 17 to make the playoffs. (Actually, the Bears lost to the Texans, so Minnesota would have got in regardless of if they won or not, but you get what I mean.) This is a game that features two teams that have largely been inconsistent this season. One week the Eagles were beating the Giants in East Rutherford, the next they were losing to a struggling Redskins team. Likewise for the Vikings, who crushed the Cardinals in Arizona three weeks ago, only to turn the ball over four times at home in a loss to the Falcons the very next week. It would be easy to jump on the Eagles bandwagon after the absolutely crushed the Cowboys 44-6 in Week 17. But they were just 3-4-1 this year on the road and Brian Westbrook has been limited by knee and ankle injuries over the past month. Outside of the penchant for putting the ball on the ground, Adrian Peterson has been a beast and he’s going to be hard for the Eagles to slow down. Expect Brad Childress to take the game out of Tarvaris Jackson’s hands (assuming he starts) and put it squarely on Peterson’s shoulders. Defensively, they’ll attempt to take Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter out of the game and force Philly to be one-dimensional. Donovan McNabb has been fantastic over the past month of the season, but he’s been turnover prone when the Eagles have fallen behind in games this season.
X-Factor: Jared Allen, DE, Vikings
Allen has been an absolute thorn in the side of offensive coordinators throughout the league this season. If the Eagles can’t get him blocked, McNabb will have a tough time setting his feet and trying to make plays in the passing game. Allen must play with more discipline, however, because Philly loves to run screen passes and they could suck the defensive end up field and out of the play if he’s overly aggressive. The Falcons used this technique two weeks ago and Allen was rendered ineffective in for most of the game.
Prediction: Vikings 20, Eagles 17
Trust me, I’m not in love with this prediction. Quite frankly I could see the Eagles feasting on Viking turnovers all afternoon and running away with this one by halftime. But I think Minnesota will play a cleaner game than they have over the past couple weeks and the Metrodome is terrifying for opponents come playoff time. Of course, I could see the lack of playoff experience come into play for Jackson and Peterson, which obviously gives McNabb and company an advantage. Crap. Let me stop writing before I change my mind and go with the Eagles…

The Indianapolis Colts have a lot going for them these days. They’ve won nine straight, will play the San Diego Chargers Saturday in the opening round of the NFL playoffs, and their starting quarterback just won his third career MVP award.

About the only thing working against the Colts, is the amount of injuries they’ve amassed over the past couple weeks, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

The most notably injury is to strong safety Bob Sanders, whose knee continues to bother him. Tony Dungy says he expects Sanders to play Sunday, although it’s unclear at this point whether or not he’ll be slowed by the injury.

One player who won’t suit up is linebacker Gary Brackett, who missed the entire week of practice due to a fibula injury, and has missed the past four games. Defensive tackle Eric Foster, wideout Pierre Garcon, guards Jamey Richard and Mike Pollack, and defensive back Keiwan Ratliff are all listed as questionable.

Philip Rivers has been outstanding all season despite his top receiving weapon Antonio Gates missing time due to injury, as well as LaDainian Tomlinson having a rare down year. Point being, for as well as Manning has played over the second half of the season, the Chargers are more than equipped offensively to get into a shootout with the Colts.

Having a healthy Sanders in the defensive backfield is the key for Indy. He’s a game changer and he can erase mistakes in the blink of an eye. But if he can’t play, or is slowed by his knee injury, it’s no secret opponents have been able to run the ball effectively against the Colts’ defense. And if the Chargers can get LT and Darren Sproles rolling like they did against the Broncos in their division-clinching win in Week 17, there’s no reason to think that San Diego can’t pull away in the second half and force Manning and the Colts’ offense to be one-dimensional.

Before their 23-20 win over the Chargers on November 23 of this year, the Colts had lost their previous three games against San Diego, including a 28-24 playoff loss in Indianapolis last season. Every team struggles with certain opponents, and the Chargers could be the Colts’ thorn.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Colts’ injuries will affect their play on Saturday. One named not previously mentioned was Indy linebacker Freddy Keiaho, who is expected to play. If they can get a healthy Sanders in the mix, the Colts will be more than ready to take the Chargers best shot. But if Sanders and company can’t go, there’s a chance not even a three-time MVP will save them.

Upset Watch: Buccaneers (7-3) at Lions (0-10), 1:00 PM ET
I’m sure I’ll get crap for this one, but give me credit for taking a shot with this upset. Outside of getting their ass handed to them by Jacksonville two weeks ago, the Lions have been inching closer and closer to their first victory. Jon Gruden’s offense is effective, but the Buccaneers have had issues once they get into the red zone this year. They settled for three field goals inside the red zone last week against Minnesota, which essentially kept the Vikings in the game. Not that Detroit’s defense will provide much of a challenge, but if the Lions can keep the game close throughout, they might have a shot at a late score. Every year it seems that the Lions manage to win a game they’re not supposed to and I’m calling my shot this weekend – it’ll be Tampa. It helps that the Lions beat the Bucs last season, too, although it’s safe to say that the 2007 Detroit team was a shade better this year’s version.

Intriguing Matchup: Colts (6-4) at Chargers (4-6), 8:15 PM ET
After getting embarrassed by the Titans on Monday Night Football in Week 8, the Colts have won three straight and beaten quality AFC teams like the Patriots and Steelers. Indy has jumped right back into the playoff race and are one of the more dangerous teams in the league. But without Bob Sanders (knee injury) in the lineup, the Colts are a completely different team defensively. And although LaDainian Tomlinson has been quiet this year, he’s still one of the most explosive backs in the league and does anyone believe he can’t still take over a game? The Chargers are always dangerous on national TV because they play with a chip on their shoulder. They’ve also shown improvements defensively under Ron Rivera, who took over for Ted Cotrell at coordinator. Even though San Diego has struggled this year and has stumbled to 4-6, this is going to be a dogfight.

Other Notable Games:
Jets (7-3) at Titans (10-0), 1:00 PM ET
Along with the Giants-Cardinals game, this could easily be the best matchup of the week. Pundits keep waiting for Tennessee to fall, but something tells me it won’t be this week. Brett Favre is susceptible to throwing an interception or two, which doesn’t bode well playing against a very opportunistic Titans’ defense. Some are smelling upset – I say the Titans remain undefeated after this week.

Panthers (8-2) at Falcons (6-4), 4:15 PM ET
The Falcons’ playoff hopes took a hit last week when they lost to Denver, but the Panthers have struggled with inferior opponents as of late. Jake Delhomme has not looked very sharp and Atlanta has been solid at home. This is a huge game for the NFC South.

Eagles (5-4-1) at Ravens (6-4), 1:00 PM ET
A loss for the Eagles and they can kiss their postseason hopes goodbye. The Ravens have a great chance to prove they’re for real after they were clowned by the Giants last week.

Patriots (6-4) at Dolphins (6-4), 1:00 PM ET
This is a massive game for the AFC East, especially with the Jets playing in Tennessee. A win for either one of these teams could mean a share for the AFC East Division lead and don’t forget the Dolphins absolutely crushed the Patriots in Foxboro earlier this season. The fireworks in this game have already started this week with Joey Porter.

Upset Watch: Seahawks at Dolphins, 1:00 PM ET
An easier upset to call might be Detroit over Jacksonville with how bad the Jaguars have looked the past two weeks. But I’m willing to bet the Jags can handle Daunte Culpepper much better than they did Ryan Fitzpatrick last Sunday. There’s everything to love about the Dolphins and nothing about the Seahawks, but that’s exactly why I like Mike Holmgren’s bunch this week. Typically teams that travel from the West to East don’t fare well, but the Hawks were just in Florida to play the Bucs so they’re used to the travel preparations. Miami has been the talk of the NFL the past two weeks, which means they’re in uncharted territory. They’re due for a letdown and while the Seahawks are missing six starters and have zero offense, the underdog has covered the last six games involving the Dolphins. Okay, so Miami might win. But the Hawks cover the 9-point spread after falling behind early.

Intriguing matchup: Titans at Bears, 1:00 PM ET
Even though pundits have been impressed with the Titans’ start, you get the feeling that everyone is waiting for them to stumble eventually. They aren’t blowing teams out by any means and narrowly escaped defeat last week at home against Green Bay. Chicago starts a pissed off Rex Grossman this weekend and while that normally spells trouble, he did rally the Bears last week against Detroit. Word is that it’s supposed to snow in Chicago this Sunday, which only plays into the Bears’ hands. They’re so banged up on defense that the Titans still have the advantage, but don’t be surprised if this is the week Tennessee is finally tripped.

Other notable games:
Saints (4-4) at Falcons (5-3), 1:00 PM ET
This game is going to reach the mid-50’s or 60’s by its conclusion. Even without Reggie Bush, the Saints’ offense is a juggernaut, but they’ve struggled defensively and will be without DE Charles Grant for the rest of the year due to injury. Rookie Matt Ryan has been nothing short of phenomenal this year and has the Falcons thinking playoffs. Teams have forced him to beat them through the air, which he has. This is one of the more underrated rivalries in the league and a sure bet for a shootout this weekend.

Bills (5-3) at Patriots (5-3), 1:00 PM ET
Bill Belichick should be ashamed of the way he game planned for the Colts last week and will no doubt be looking to smoke division rival Buffalo to get back on track. The Bills, meanwhile, have lost two games in a row because Trent Edwards can’t keep the turnovers low. The Jets are right in the mix too, but a win in this game is huge for the division.

Colts (4-4) at Steelers (6-2), 4:15 PM ET
Indy got back on track last week with a win over the Patriots, now they have to show that they can be consistent. The Steelers thumped the Skins on the road last Monday, but are coming off a short week and could be without Ben Roethlisberger. Can Byron Leftwich lead Pittsburgh to another victory? Or has the return of Bob Sanders lifted the Colts?