Colts kicker Vinatieri is ready for the regular season

Adam Vinatieri, one of the NFL's great clutch kickers, had surgery on his right hip this week and will likely come back to team before regular season begins.

But the Colts did not release the timetable on when Vinatieri will be back. It is guessed that he probably is able to play in the opener Sept. 13 against Jacksonville.

"I kind of would fall back to Dr. Phillipon's directions and he said he would be ready for the season," coach Jim Caldwell said. "So we'll follow his lead in that regard."

So Colts fans need not worry much for Vinatieri, neither for cornerback Marlin Jackson and running back Mike Hart--the former already participated in drills and is ahead of schedule after anterior cruciate ligament surgery, and the latter is expected to be ready for the regular season too after his ACL surgery.