INDIANAPOLIS— Chuck Pagano said it on Monday.
He then reiterated it on Wednesday, before his quarterback and offensive coordinator followed with similar notions as the week moved on.*
After three catches for 20 yards in Week One, T.Y. Hilton needed more touches and the Colts were going to do that on Sunday afternoon.*
Those touches came in a career-way against the Dolphins with Hilton hauling in six passes for 124 yards (both career-highs).
"We knew we had to get (Hilton) back involved. He made huge plays," Head Coach Chuck Pagano said following the Colts 24-20 loss. "It was good to see him get back and have a number of catches, big plays. He's an explosive guy."
Unfortunately, it was not enough to earn back-to-back victories as Hilton was shut out in the second-half.
"It felt pretty good," Hilton said of his performance. "But, we got the loss so I got to do better."
"I feel like they made more plays then us so we have to go back to the drawing board, watch film, and see what we can do better for next week in San Fran."
Last year, Hilton led the Colts with 17.2 yards per catch and he once again showed that big play ability on Sunday.
Hilton's first catch came in an unconventional way. A ball intended for Darrius Heyward-Bey bounced off DHB's chest and into the hands of the nearby Hilton for a 20-yard gain.
On the Colts second offensive series there was Hilton on a 22-yard reception, which took Indianapolis inside of the red zone and led to the first three Colts points of the afternoon.
Hilton's next grab came on a third-and-seven on the following series and the 12-yard reception led to a Coby Fleener touchdown.
The highlight though for Hilton came on his final snag of the afternoon.
After an 18-yard catch to start the Colts final drive of the first half, Hilton went over Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes to turn a potential interception into a 47-yard reception.
The catch helped set up a touchdown and was just another indication of the 5-9 receiver's playmaking ability.
"You're paid to play to make plays and T.Y. is an example of that," Reggie Wayne said following the game.
"He comes out and whenever his number is called, he steps up and makes a play. He made a huge play down the sideline to give us some momentum and he's been doing that since he got here."
However in the second half, the Miami defense kept Hilton off the stat sheet and quarterback Andrew Luck took some blame for misfiring on a few passes in No. 13's direction.
Hilton, who now has six 100-yard receiving games in just 17 career contests, gives the Colts offense a player that can ignite the game with a single touch of the football.
That was once again evident on Sunday and a few more of those chances in the second half could have made the difference.
"It's not surprising to us on the team. We know T.Y.'s a stud," Luck said. "He's done it ever since day one. The "go" he caught on the right side before half was something special. We know he's a phenomenal player."
