The Indianapolis Colts are playing against the New York Jets on Monday night, and it might be the extra day of rest that makes a huge difference for star receiver T.Y. Hilton. Hilton sustained a knee injury in a Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the second half and could not return.
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Now, Hilton is calling himself a game-time decision for Week 2, according to Pro Football Talk.
“A game-time decision depending on how I feel,” Hilton told reporters on Thursday. “I’ll talk to [coach Chuck Pagano] about it and see where I go from there.”
Hilton not being on the field would be a major blow to a Colts team that is trying to avoid an 0-2 start. It does not appear that Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie will play, as he is also recovering from a knee injury and has not practiced yet this week. With Cromartie on the shelf, New York will be relying plenty on future Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis to lock down Indianapolis’ top threat.
Should Hilton be ready to play, the Colts will have either Hilton or Johnson on a reserve cornerback, perhaps Buster Skrine. However, if Hilton can’t get his knee ready in time for the primetime contest, Johnson will undoubtedly be taken away by Revis, leaving Andrew Luck without both of his top weapons in some ways.
Luck is trying to rebound from an ugly performance against the Bills where he only completed 26-of-49 passes and threw multiple balls up for grabs. Luck is playing behind a shoddy offensive line, something that will be tested by a Jets front seven that features Muhammad Wilkerson. Head coach Todd Bowles is also extremely aggressive in his 3-4 scheme, willing to blitz with multiple linebackers and defensive backs.