Mike Wells ESPN Staff Writer 3 Minute Read

Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton has 779 yards receiving over the past six games. Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton did manage to get some family time in on Christmas Day. But that time likely wasn't as long as normal, because Hilton was at the team's practice facility Tuesday getting treatment for his injured ankle -- the same ankle that has bothered him since his 60-yard reception in the second quarter of their Dec. 8 game in Houston.

Check out the stat sheet, though, and you would not know he has been hurt.

Hilton has 21 receptions for 422 yards over the past three games.

What's not seen on the field is Hilton gingerly taking his shoe off after games, walking to the training room with no shoe on and walking around the locker room with a slight limp.

"I ask him how he's going to do it and he says he's going to do fine," quarterback Andrew Luck said. "I say, 'OK, I know he's going to do fine.' If T.Y. says it, that means it's going to be true."

Hilton stands at only 5-foot-10 and weighs 183 pounds, but his toughness can't be questioned.

You name it and Hilton has probably dealt with pain in some area this season.

Ankle. Shoulder. Groin. Chest. Hamstring.

But he's managed to fight through all those injuries to play in all but two games and has 74 receptions for 1,209 yards and six touchdowns this season.

"It is a process," Colts coach Frank Reich said. "But that process is probably sped up by his years in the system here and me hearing it from the trainers and doctors here, 'It's T.Y.' He has some superhuman way of playing through stuff. Then he does it for us a few times here this year and you see how legit that is. You know ... as players we have all experienced these kinds of injuries."

Hilton has practiced only twice over the past three weeks -- both times being listed as a limited participant -- and it's no surprise he didn't practice Wednesday. He has been listed as questionable on the injury report for each of the past three games. But there's no need to panic about Hilton's status for Sunday's key game at Tennessee. He referred to it as being a Game 7, because if the Colts win they'll be back in the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Lose and their season is over. Hilton has 779 yards receiving over the past six games.

"You know I ain't missing [Sunday]," Hilton said. "My same mentality. Just continue to get my body right and get ready for Sunday."

What helps Hilton get by despite not practicing is that he already had a relationship with Luck. Hilton said during training camp that it's like "riding a bike" when it comes to his chemistry with Luck since the two have been teammates since 2012.

"I will tell you what, it's unbelievable what he's doing without practice," Reich said. "I just think very few players could do what he's doing. He has no mental errors when he goes out there. It's like he doesn't miss a beat. I just attribute that to A, just his elite physical ability. How smart he is, you can't underestimate how smart of a football player T.Y. is. He just understands the game, and then just how tough he is. I think he's a rare bird in that regard."