HOUSTON -- It was billed as Andrew Luck versus J.J. Watt.
The two premier players in the AFC South and NFL MVP candidates.
Watt, the Houston Texans' do-everything defensive end, was his disruptive self, outshining Luck. But the reason the Indianapolis Colts left NRG Stadium in sole possession of first place in the division is the quarterback's supporting cast stepped to the forefront and did its job.
Receiver T.Y. Hilton stole the show with nine catches for a whopping 223 yards and a touchdown in the Colts' 33-28 victory. He was 1 yard shy of matching Raymond Berry's franchise record for most receiving yards in a game.
"We've been saying it all year that we're going to do our best and take what teams give us," Colts tight end Coby Fleener said. "If that means throwing to T.Y. for 200 yards, we'll do it. If it means running the ball every play, we'll do it. There's no 'can't do' in this offense."
Luck is the Colts' franchise player, and it will remain that way as long as he's taking the snaps. But his heroics aren't as necessary now that he's surrounded by easily the best talent he's had in his three-year career.
It's not about simply winning the AFC South for the Colts, it's about surpassing the entire AFC and getting to the Super Bowl.
One game it may be Reggie Wayne. The next, it's the running back duo of Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw. Even the defense is doing its part. That's why the Colts have rebounded from dropping their first two games of the season to run off four wins in a row.
"That's what seriously makes us so dangerous as a team," tight end Dwayne Allen said. "It's about having multiple options to go to. That's what gives defenses headaches. Whenever they look at the film, they're trying to plot out who we go to in different situations. It's spread even across the board, so there's no defense for that. And then our defense is forcing turnovers and giving us good field position to work with."
NRG Stadium has become a second home for Hilton. He's got 16 catches for 344 yards and four touchdowns in his past two games here. Hilton's 147 yards receiving in the first quarter, which featured receptions of 40, 49 and 37 yards, were the most by a Colts player in that quarter going back to 1991.
"To be able to stretch the field like that, I mean, we have a bunch of guys that can stretch the field," said Luck, who was a perfect 9-for-9 targeting Hilton. "T.Y. obviously had the big ones. … He is great, man. He was fantastic."
The Colts were on the verge of possibly having their 24-0 start and Hilton's first-quarter performance go to waste when the Texans made it a 27-21 game in the third quarter.
But Hilton, who started lined up in the slot on the right side, sprinted downfield and came across the field, beating two Texans defenders for a 33-yard touchdown. The Colts had tried to run that same play earlier in the quarter but failed because Luck was sacked.
"I always go to [Luck] after every series and let him know what's working and what's not, and he'll give me his feedback and tell me what he sees," Hilton said. "Once we get on the same page, then we just go out there and have fun."
Fun is what the Colts are having, and they're doing it with no egos attached.
"There's going to be some nights where you are the main attraction and some nights where you aren't the main attraction," Fleener said. "You have to understand it's the team above individuals, and that's how it should be and that's how it is here."
