What was once considered to be an injury we weren’t supposed to be concerned about now has had Indianapolis Colts wide receiver TY Hilton absent from practice for nearly two weeks now.
That doesn’t bode well for what feels like a must-win game on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
Hilton, in his season debut after returning from neck surgery, suffered a quad injury in Week 6 against the Houston Texans. He prompted left the game in the second half and never returned.
However, fans were assured it was nothing serious. Late last week, he was “progressing well” and said to be 50-50 for the game against the San Francisco 49ers, but he never suited up.
Now, this week, he’s yet to appear in practice, leaving his status up in the air for Week 8.
Both Rock Ya-Sin + Xavier Rhodes practicing, as well, but TY Hilton is not. https://t.co/HBndDccY0O
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) October 28, 2021
Colts WR TY Hilton could miss this Sunday’s game against the Titans.
The Colts are 3-4, already having suffered a loss to Tennessee on the road. The Titans are 5-2 with consecutive victories over the Bills and Chiefs. Indy going into a 3-5 hole with two losses to the team leading the AFC South would put them in a near-insurmountable hole.
That’s why Hilton’s presence is so important. Yes, the Colts handled the 49ers on both sides of the ball on Sunday Night Football, but the offense will need every advantage. Carson Wentz has been phenomenal and he’ll only become more of a threat with Hilton’s ability to stretch the field in the starting lineup.
Colts WR TY Hilton says he's "in a good spot" with his sore quad right now, but won't practice today and is 50-50 to play Sunday night in San Francisco.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) October 21, 2021
Tennessee has scored 24 or more points in every game this season with the exception of Week 1. Indy’s defense has allowed an average of 21.3 points per game (11th in NFL) while the Titans are just behind them at 23.4 (16th in NFL). However, we can argue the Colts’ ranking is a bit skewed because they allowed 20 combined points to two of the worst teams in the NFL (Texans and Dolphins) whereas the Titans have faced powerhouses like the Bills, Chiefs, Cardinals and were on the road against the Seahawks with a healthy Russell Wilson.
That means this one will be on the offense to get the job done. The Titans defense is solid, but it’s not impenetrable. They lost to the Jets earlier this year in a game they allowed 27 points. The Colts also played them closely despite injuries decimating their roster back in Week 3.
Michael Pittman is emerging as a serious No. 1 option. Mo Alie-Cox has been a surprising threat over the last month. The Colts almost need Hilton to be on the field to serve as a decoy/playmaker if they want to steal a win here. With the way the Titans have been playing, Indy will need all they can get at their disposal, and Hilton would be a colossal boost given his experience with this rivalry.
Colts: 3 players that must be moved off roster by trade deadline
If Colts GM Chris Ballard is in a selling mood at the trade deadline, he could look to send some of these players elsewhere.