For the second consecutive year, the Indianapolis Colts have turned to one of head coach Tony Dungy’s former defensive lineman in Tampa Bay to save their season. 

The Colts learned Tuesday afternoon that they lost their All-Pro pass rusher Dwight Freeney for the season. They wasted no time signing Simeon Rice, a two-time All-Pro defensive end, off waivers Monday. Rice spent the first half of the season with Denver, which signed him to a one-year, $3 million contract in September.

Rice’s transition should not be difficult because he spent six seasons in Tampa Bay, where he played in the same system used by the Colts. Rice is also familiar with Dungy, who helped persuade Rice to join the Buccaneers in 2001.

It’s the second straight year the Colts have brought in one of Dungy’s former defensive linemen to fill holes. Last year, they traded a second-round draft pick to Tampa Bay for defensive tackle Anthony McFarland after Corey Simon was lost for the season. 

McFarland eventually helped shore up a leaky run defense, which aided the Colts’ run to the Super Bowl title.

The task in front of Rice will be a little more daunting considering he is joining a Colts squad that looks like it belongs in a MASH 4077 Unit instead of on a football field.

The Colts have already placed seven players on the season ending injured reserve list. The list includes Freeney and two other starters, LB Rob Morris and DE Anthony McFarland. Other Colts shutdown for the year include: WR Roy Hall, TE Mike Seidman, DB Antonio Smith, and LB Victor Worsley.

The Colts showed the heart of a champion Sunday night when they almost overcame a six interception game by Peyton Manning only to lose a heartbreaker as the NFL’s most clutch kicker, Adam Vinatieri, missed a 29-yard field goal that would’ve won the game.

The Colts could have rolled over and played dead as they fell behind to the San Diego Chargers, 23-0, in the first half. While most teams would packed it in at halftime and accepted a blowout loss, the Colts proved they are a dangerous team even in the face of adversity.

The Colts entered the game without six starters: wide receiver Marvin Harrison, tight end Dallas Clark, linebackers Freddy Keiaho and Tyjuan Hagler, defensive tackle Raheem Brock and left tackle Tony Ugoh. 

Also out were reserve wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, reserve offensive tackle Dan Federkeil and reserve safety Matt Giordano.

Offensive tackles Ryan Diem and Charlie Johnson each left the game with injuries in the first half. Keyunta Dawson starting for the injured DT Brock left early in the game with a hand injury while Freeney had to leave the game in the second half.

The Colts looked lost at the opening of the game as they let the Chargers take control early, with running back Darren Sproles returning the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown, and one of Manning’s three first-quarter interceptions leading directly to a 33-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding. Sproles returned a punt 45 yards to give San Diego a 16-0 lead after the first quarter.

A 4-yard run by running back LaDainian Tomlinson – last year’s NFL Most Valuable Player – pushed the Chargers’ lead to 23-0 with 8:47 remaining in the half. 

After Tomlinson’s touchdown, the Chargers did not score again.

And against seemingly overwhelming odds, the Colts rallied.

The Colts regained a bit of momentum late in the second quarter, cutting into a 23-point Chargers lead late in the first half with an eight-yard touchdown reception by Reggie Wayne.

Manning passed seven yards to running back Kenton Keith early in the fourth quarter to cut the Chargers’ lead to 10, 23-13. Manning then passed to tight end Bryan Fletcher for a two-point conversion that trimmed the lead to 23-15 with 14:51 remaining.

Twenty five seconds later, Colts middle linebacker Gary Brackett fell on a fumble in the end zone by Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers, but a two-point conversion failed when running back Joseph Addai was stopped short of the end zone.

That made it 23-21, but plenty of drama remained. 

The Colts drove to the San Diego 7 in the final minutes, but an apparent first-down run by Addai was reversed when officials reviewed the spot and moved the ball short of the first down.

“You guys saw both plays,” Dungy said. “That’s what they did. They moved the ball back and said it wasn’t a first down.”

The Colts then went to the line of scrimmage, with Dungy saying the plan being to try to draw San Diego offsides, but a false start penalty on Colts tight end Ben Utecht moved the ball to the 11.

“It’s a play we’ve run numerous times and we’ve never been called for it,” Dungy said. “It got called this time. That was it.”

On the next play, Vinatieri pushed a 29-yard field goal just outside the right upright. 

The Colts, who last week lost to the New England Patriots, 24-20, at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, will play the Kansas City Chiefs at the RCA Dome Sunday. They haven’t lost three consecutive games since 2002.

The Chiefs are banged up as well but look for the Colts to turn in a strong performance Sunday and snap their two game losing streak.

There’s nothing worse than facing a wounded animal and right now the Colts are the desparate ones. Come playoff time, this squad will be one that no team will want to face in the playoffs including the supposedly unbeatable New England Patriots.

Sunday night proved that Indy can play anywhere, anytime, and under any circumstances and be a threat to win everytime that Manning steps on a field no matter who else is with him.