Zak Keefer

zak.keefer@indystar.com

The good news laced between the bad news the Indianapolis Colts received Monday: While one injury suffered in Sunday's lopsided loss to New England could end a season, another appears far less severe than originally thought.

So much so, in fact, that it's possible that Dwyane Allen could see the field as early as this Sunday when the Colts host Jacksonville.

"A low ankle sprain," the Colts tight end explained Monday, diagnosing the injury that sidelined him for much of the previous night's 42-20 loss. "It shouldn't be anything too serious. So (I'm going to) get some rehab, get some ice on it, see how it feels."

Allen classified himself as "day-to-day" and added that he "definitely hopes to play Sunday."

He went down early in the second quarter after being pushed to the turf by New England's Rob Ninkovich (who earned a facemask penalty on the play). While Allen fell, Colts center Jonotthan Harrison – all 6-4 and 300 pounds of him – inadvertently landed on Allen's ankle.

The news Monday wasn't nearly as promising for running back Ahmad Bradshaw. A magnetic resonance imaging test determined Bradshaw suffered a fractured fibula in Sunday's game, according to coach Chuck Pagano, and his status for the remainder of the season remains uncertain.

But for Allen, and the Colts' offense, news of a low ankle sprain came as an enormous sigh of relief. If it had been a high ankle sprain, he could've been out a month or more. This, of course, comes a year after Allen missed all but one game with a hip injury.

"It comes with the game," he said. "We know that every time we step on the field there's a chance of us getting injured. You never want it to happen, but it happens. I embrace that. I love what I do, the game that I play. I'm going to continue to prepare and play the way that I play."

His absence was most felt in a rushing game that never got on track. New England controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, never allowing the Colts' rushing attack to get its footing. Bradshaw (seven carries for four yards) and Trent Richardson (seven carries for no yards) were simply abysmal.

While Patriots rookie rusher Jonas Gray ran for 199 yards, the Colts' backs ran for a total of four.

"This was the second year in a row I've had to watch our run game struggle against those guys and those guys just pound us," Allen said. "That was really tough just watching, not being able to help."

Call Star reporter Zak Keefer at (317) 444-6134 and follow him on Twitter: @zkeefer.