Thanks to a depleted roster, there’s only one player the Texans’ defense really has to worry about stopping when they play the Colts. On Sunday, it couldn’t stop him.
The Texans’ inability to touch a downed T.Y. Hilton led to an 80-yard touchdown pass
That makes five catches and 175 yards for the three-time Pro Bowler.
T.Y. Hilton only has five catches against Houston, but they’ve gone for 175 yards as the wide receiver has proven responsible for 54 percent of Indianapolis’s total offense through three quarters. His latest highlight-reel contribution was an 80-yard catch-and-run touchdown that gave the Colts a 17-7 lead.
Hilton appeared to be down at the Houston 31-yard-line after a juke of cornerback Kareem Jackson took him to the turf, but since he was never touched by a defender, the play rolled on. The veteran picked himself up as safety Andre Hal jogged past him, then strolled into the end zone to cap off the big play. Officials would later review the play and confirm Hilton had escaped Jackson’s grasp untouched.
What this means for the Colts: Beating the Texans would keep Indianapolis’ slim playoff hopes alive — and those rest squarely on Hilton’s shoulders. Jacoby Brissett has built a solid rapport with his No. 1 target, and that connection is paying off in droves. Sunday’s showing is Hilton’s fifth 100-yard performance against the Texans.
There had been speculation the team could trade Hilton in advance of this season’s trade deadline. Sunday’s performance is proof that would have been a mistake.
What this means for the Texans: Houston had been the league’s highest-scoring offense with Deshaun Watson under center, but the team has struggled to score without him. Tom Savage led his team to just seven points in the first three quarters, and asking him to get Houston to 17 points or more for the game may be too big a task to handle.
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