INDIANAPOLIS –The size of T.Y. Hilton's scar was that of a half dollar and as red as a ripe tomato.
The pain of receiving such a scar on his right wrist was well worth it for Hilton.
After making a diving 45-yard reception early in the second quarter on Sunday, Hilton crawled the final few feet into the end zone.
The result was a touchdown, and a bit of pain.
"Yeah, that's my new watch, my new watch for right now," Hilton said pointing to his cut.
Preceding the cut was Hilton lining up on the outside of a two-receiver set on the final play of the opening quarter.
Hilton easily got behind Bills cornerback Ron Brooks and ran underneath a rainbow play-action pass by quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
"It was very exciting," Hilton said of his 45-yard score. "Matt (Hasselbeck) threw a wonderful ball, O-line held up, and I was able to go ahead and make a play."
On the afternoon, Hilton led the Colts with three catches for 61 yards.
The preseason opener was a culmination of what has been a tremendous training camp for the Colts second-year receiver.
"He's a mismatch problem," Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said of Hilton. "You say he's too small to play outside, but you can put him outside and they can go try to press him and cover and it's hard for any defensive back to get their hands on him. He's been making those plays all through training camp."
One area where Hilton has concentrated on this offseason is coming back to the football.
Fellow wide receiver Reggie Wayne is helping Hilton with that and other Colts skill players are amazed by what No. 13 can do when he touches the football.
"There's not too many things that T.Y. can't do," tight end Coby Fleener said. "Something you can't teach is his speed. It's impressive to watch him on a daily basis to see him improving, and improving and see it all come together."
Hilton's speed was evident on special teams against the Bills where he seemingly made something out of nothing on a 15-yard punt return.
Paired with a fellow second-year player in Andrew Luck, Hilton's big-play potential doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
"He's a phenomenal football player," Luck said of Hilton. "He's going to make plays. That's why he's out on the field. I don't know if I've come to, when you expect it, it's not as special. It's still special when someone makes a play like that. That's special."
"But you do sort of say, 'Alright T.Y.' He's going to do something special when he's on the field. He has that factor to him."
