Indianapolis Colts: TY Hilton injury huge deal for Week 2

By Kevin Parvizi | Sep 13, 2015

The Indianapolis Colts found it incredibly difficult to move the ball against the Buffalo Bills elite defense yesterday, as Rex Ryan and Co. were able to solve Buffalo’s Andrew Luck problem, forcing the top-ten QB to throw two interceptions with an awful 5.0 yards per attempt. They also earned an “assist” when TY Hilton went down with a left knee injury that required an X-Ray after being the team’s lone bright spot on offense.

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Colts owner Jim Irsay, as per long-time beat writer Mike Chappell, stated that Hilton will miss “a few weeks” despite X-Rays coming up negative. Hilton’s timetable for return will be determined by an MRI, so fantasy owners and Colts fans will have to sit tight until we wait confirmation for the severity of this injury.

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Hilton’s seven receptions for 88 yards on 14 targets led the Colts in all major receiving categories, so while he didn’t have an efficient day, he was the Colts only real threat on offense. Phillip Dorsett turned just three targets in to 45 yards and Donte Moncrief was second on the Colts with six receptions, but neither the No. 2 nor No. 3 receiver gave this struggling offense as much hope as their big-money No. 1 wideout.

In Week 2, Luck and the Colts will have to get their bounce-back game against another elite defense, and even though the New York Jets might not have veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who also suffered a knee injury today, they still have a formidable secondary. The Jets completely shut down the Cleveland Browns running game today in a 31-10 blowout win, and only a couple of big plays from boom-or-bust wide receiver Travis Benjamin threatened Todd Bowles‘s bunch.

Given the fact that Andre Johnson looked quite poor today against the physical Bills defense, the Colts will likely have to ask for a lot of juice from young wideouts Dorsett and Moncrief against the Jets. Remember, the Jets still have Darrelle Revis, Calvin Pryor, Marcus Gilchrist, Buster Skrine, and Marcus Williams back there, so their secondary has plenty of athleticism and upside.

Facing the Jets defense is comparable to facing the Bills, with the only difference being the fact that Luck will get to face his Week 2 opponent on his own turf. Otherwise, he could be in for another tough day at the office without Hilton by his side, because it doesn’t seem like the Colts will be able to have him out there in Week 2.

Again, we have to await further news on this Hilton injury, but it’s hard to see him being in a position to suit up the week after suffering this knee injury. You never know, but the Colts will have to prepare to face the Jets with Moncrief, Dorsett, and Johnson as Luck’s top three receivers.

Veterans Frank Gore and Johnson will have to step up after struggling against the Bills today, and Gore will have to shake off calf cramps in order to give the Indianapolis Colts offense some semblance of balance against an even more voracious run defense. The Jets completely took Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell out of the game today, and nose tackle Damon Harrison, in particular, is one of the game’s nastiest run defenders.

TY Hilton is one of the best ten receivers in the NFL right now, so missing him against Revis and the Jets defense will undoubtedly be a huge blow, especially with today’s loss fresh in our minds. The best way to beat the Jets is, as Benjamin showed us today, to beat them with deep passes and with tight end play. If Hilton can’t play for the Colts in Week 2, then Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen, and, most obviously, Dorsett become three vital players for this offense.

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