Week 15: Which team will win? Texans

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Indianapolis receiver T.Y. Hilton has burned the Texans so bad they might have to suit up some firemen to help contain him at Lucas Oil stadium on Sunday.

No receiver has scorched the Texans like Hilton — a nemesis for defensive backs who can’t keep up with his blistering speed and big-play ability.

Hilton and third-year quarterback Andrew Luck have become one of the most prolific twosomes in the NFL. In each of the last two seasons, Hilton seemed to be more comfortable at NRG Stadium than his own living room.

In the Colts’ 33-28 victory over the Texans in October, Hilton caught nine passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.

In their come-from-behind victory last season, Hilton had seven catches for 121 yards and three touchdowns.

“He’s fast and explosive,” cornerback Kareem Jackson said on Wednesday. “They use him in a lot of different spots, in a lot of different formations and get him the ball. A guy like that, you have to account for him every play.

“He’s very good at changing his pace (on) his routes. He can come off jogging, and he can explode and go for 60 yards at the drop of a hat. He does a great job with yards after the catch, so we have to prevent him from catching the ball, but if he does, we have to tackle him.”

Hilton (5-9, 178) has 15 catches for 277 yards and two touchdowns in his other three games against the Texans.

“Obviously, I fully expect them to do whatever they have to do to try to take T.Y. out of the game,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. “You have to try to make people beat you left-handed, and that’s what they’ll do.

“There are guys we have to take away, and if we don’t, we’re probably not going to win the game. It’s much like what we have to do to make sure we do our (best) to make sure that 99 (J.J. Watt) doesn’t wreck the game.

“They’ve got great players, and they’ll come up with a scheme to try to do whatever they have to do to make sure that a guy like No. 13 (Hilton) doesn’t wreck the game.”

“Just pressing him and being physical, making it a physical game,” he said. “He’s a smaller guy, and as the game wears on and if we’re constantly hitting him, he’s going to notice that we’re constantly rolling up on him and jamming him.

“As I see it, that’s a strategy we should use against him. We didn’t do it well enough the last time we played them, but we have another opportunity.”

Free safety Kendrick Lewis, the last line of defense, has a plan for Hilton.

“He’s a quick, jittery receiver,” Lewis said. “We have to try to take him away, be physical with him at the line of scrimmage, pressing him and getting bodies on him. You have to get your hands on him to try to slow him down as much as possible.

“He’s a smaller guy. As the game goes on, if we’re constantly hitting him, he’s going to notice. If we’re constantly rolling up on him and jamming it, he’s going to notice. It’s going to impact him, so, as I see it, that’s the strategy we should use against him. We didn’t do it well enough last time we played him, but we’ll have another opportunity.”

Hilton is ready for whatever the Texans try.

“Our motto is to expect the unknown,” said Hilton, a third-round pick in 2012 from Florida Atlantic. “I make a lot of my adjustments in the game. I’m a counter-puncher, so I let them throw first, and I make my adjustments after that.”

Hilton expects cornerback Johnathan Joseph to cover him.

“Joseph’s been following me, but they’ll play a lot of man coverage and put Joseph with me,” Hilton said. “It’s tough to take me out of the game. I’m looking forward to the matchup.”

When Hilton is asked about his success against the Texans, he has no explanation. He mentioned the prime-time game in October when the Colts jumped to a 24-0 lead and had to hold off a furious Texans comeback.

“We hit a lot of tough plays,” Hilton said. “We got into our offense pretty early and got going.

“I just run the play coach calls. I feel like I have my good games against them, but I just play and have fun.”

Hilton was asked if his “eyes light up” knowing he’s going against the Texans.

“My eyes light up in every game because every game is a big game, including this one,” he said. “This is an amazing game for both teams.”

Hilton has an amazing quarterback in Luck. They lead the NFL in yards and yards passing. They rank second in scoring.

“He’s a big, big playmaker,” Luck said. “He’s not just a guy that runs deep and catches balls. He’s a true wide receiver, and I know Reg (Reggie Wayne) has helped him along that path.”

Wayne, a long-time Texans nemesis, has been Hilton’s mentor. Their teammates see a lot of Wayne in Hilton when it comes to work ethic, classroom study and performance on the field.

“He comes in ready to work,” Wayne said. “He’s not going to say much, but he’s going to lead by his example. His example is going to be, ‘Watch what I do.’

“He is kind of a quiet guy. He kind of goes about his business. He wants to go out there and show everybody what he can do.”

Coach Bill O’Brien got an up-close-and-personal look at the damage Hilton can do in October.

“Go through the list of (receivers) we’ve gone against, he’s right there at the top,” O’Brien said. “The thing I admire about him is they line him up everywhere, so he’s obviously a smart player.

“It’s hard to locate him. He’s in the slot, (at) flanker and split end. He’s got good hands. He’s tough and fast. He’s a huge challenge for us.”

john.mcclain@chron.com

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