But after Bailey has missed seven games with a groin injury and the Broncos aren't sure if he'll be back to play the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. The refrain has been the same for weeks - Bailey will practice, but on a limited basis, then work out before the game but he won't go if there's a chance of a setback.

"Just kind of wait and see," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said on Monday. "Just kind of hoping he'll go out here Wednesday and feel a little bit better and hopefully get some playing time in."

Bailey isn't the kind of player who is often on the sideline. He missed only three games in his first nine seasons. But the groin injury he suffered Oct. 20 was severe.

"It's very frustrating," Bailey said. "The only time I missed was with a pulled muscle. I've never had a torn muscle. It's definitely something new to me."

The Broncos haven't completely suffered without Bailey. They are 4-3 without Bailey and their pass defense numbers are actually slightly better without him. But they have vulnerabilities, as the Panthers showed last week.

Steve Smith had 165 yards and Muhsin Muhammad had 70 as the Panthers rolled over the Broncos. While rookie Josh Bell has played surprisingly well since being put in the starting lineup, he isn't Bailey.

"You've got a guy that's never been in the National Football League compared to one who's the best ever (defensive back) to play the game," Shanahan said. "Obviously, it makes a difference."

The Broncos need Bailey to return quickly if he's going to be his usual self in the playoffs. The Broncos will be in the playoffs with one more win or a Chargers loss. Bailey said he thinks after one game he'll be ready, but he knows that it won't be easy.

"Trust me, there is such thing as football shape," Bailey said. "That's the hardest thing to get in to."

The problem is, there isn't absolute certainty when he'll return. He has been practicing on a limited basis since Nov. 13 but hasn't played yet. He sounded more optimistic after a good day of practice Wednesday. Still, he has avoided saying for certain when he'll play.

"As soon as I get ready," Bailey said. "What that is, when that's going to be, I don't know."

SERIES HISTORY: 34th meeting. Bills lead series, 17-15-1, although the Broncos won the last meeting in memorable fashion, rushing on to kick a game-winning field goal as time expired for a 15-14 victory. The Broncos have also won five straight games in the series. Buffalo won the only playoff meeting, a 10-7 victory in the 1991 AFC Championship Game.