In hindsight, head coach Wade Phillips admitted Thursday that playing right tackle Marc Colombo in the playoffs probably wasn't the best idea.
Colombo, who suffered a broken fibula and a high-ankle sprain in the Packers game on Nov. 16, missed the last seven games, only to return for the playoffs. Colombo played rather well in his first start, a 34-14 win over the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Game, but struggled mightily in the Vikings' loss the next week. Minnesota defensive end Ray Edwards had three sacks, mostly in the first half of the Vikings' 34-3 win.
"I probably shouldn't have let him come back . . . and did," Phillips said Thursday. "And he ended up not doing as well as he can do. But he's fine now."
When asked recently about rushing himself back to the field last year, Colombo didn't blame the injury.
"You can't make excuses," Colombo said. "I tried to come back and that's the way it went. It happens. But I'm focused on right now and trying to get better."
