INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -When Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney chases Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young this weekend, he'll have plenty of doubts about how aggressive he can be.

The attention given to New York Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka after he pulled away from a potential fourth-quarter sack of Young during a 24-21 loss to the Titans last week reminds Freeney of his own missed sack.

Freeney says he was closing on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on Nov. 5 when, hoping to avoid a penalty flag, he pulled up, thinking that Brady had already gotten rid of the ball. Instead, Brady broke away and eventually completed a pass for a first down to keep a drive alive.

``It's kind of ridiculous, I think. I think they kind of protect quarterbacks so much to where they don't protect any other position like that,'' Freeney said Thursday. ``They're sitting back there, not nervous, because they know no one can hit them. And that takes away from what we do. It takes away from the game.''

Freeney has been named to the Pro Bowl three times and led the league with 16 sacks in 2004. He has been frustrated much of this season as he has just 2 1/2 sacks through 11 games, recording none through the first six games.

Freeney said he understood the frustration faced by Kiwanuka, a rookie with the Giants.

``I am sure he was thinking about, 'Did he throw the ball? Did he not? Should I tackle him?' You never know,'' Freeney said. ``Normally he would have just made the tackle and said OK. But, you know, you don't want a 15-yarder (penalty) and be fined $5,000.''

Freeney said that it's gotten to the point where defensive players might have to revert to child's game rules for quarterback.

``Five Mississippi and two-hands touch. Or give the quarterback a flag and then grab the flag,'' he joked. ``If you're going to blow the whistle on every little thing, or if you get close to them, all right, just blow the whistle, let us get the sack and we'll go on. That's the thing. If you let up, then that's going to get you yelled at by your head coach.''

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