Bob Sanders is lost for the season again, but I'm not sure the Indianapolis Colts will miss his play too much.

How can you miss something you hardly ever have?

Sanders suffered an injury to his elbow that will require surgery and will end his season, the Colts announced Friday. The bottom line is, we've seen this movie before.

This is not a new scenario, nor should it be particularly alarming to his teammates.

That's not to say the Colts don't have holes in their secondary, with starting cornerback Kelvin Hayden out for at least a month with a knee injury and nickel defensive back Marlin Jackson out for the season with a torn ACL. Indy will have to continue to rely on youngsters Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey, the only-slightly older Melvin Bullitt, lone veteran Antoine Bethea and perennial cornerback sub Tim Jennings. Linebacker Tyjuan Hagler is also out, further thinning the defense.

Texans quarterback Matt Schaub and wide receiver Andre Johnson should be feeling pretty good, as long as Schaub doesn't spend much time thinking about Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis still being in fine health.

Back to Sanders: The Colts have spent so much time without him, they're likely to take his latest injury in stride.

Sanders has missed 16 of the Colts' last 24 games. His backup, Bullitt, does a decent job. He's not the devastating hitter Sanders is, and, subsequently, doesn't cause backs and receivers to hear footsteps the way they do when Sanders is flying in for tackles.

But Bullitt is solid enough, Bethea is underrated and the Colts' front line of Freeney, Mathis, Antonio Johnson and various other defensive tackles bring the pressure to help the secondary.

Sanders has issues, clearly, with his body. To see him up close is to see a mass of muscle and power. His upper body resembles the “Thing” from the Fantastic Four comics. His neck is a concrete block. But he's fragile, not because of his will, but because of events and body reaction beyond his control.

Sanders' reckless abandon on the field sets him up for injuries. He knows one speed and it results in jarring collisions that would require stretchers for most of us to leave the field. You have to wonder whether his body is wired to withstand the jolts and whether he'll be able to have a long career.

This is only Sanders' sixth season, but he has missed 40 of 87 regular-season games. He's worth every penny of his substantial paycheck when he plays. But at this point of his career, it's appropriate to question if he'll ever play a full season again.

The Colts' 7-0 start hasn't been met with much adversity. This latest rash of injuries could be a real test. Schaub has the skills and other weapons to test the thin ranks of the defense.

However, the idea that losing Sanders for the rest of the season will be a devastating blow is overblown. Sanders is a tremendous player. But the Colts have been without him so often it's more unusual when he does suit up and play.

I have no doubt the Colts will miss the idea of Sanders.

In reality, they adjusted to everyday life without him long ago.