Purnell would love to neutralize Hester, with Adam Vinatieri booming kickoffs for touchbacks and punter Hunter Smith getting 5.5 seconds of hang time.

Or Indianapolis could try something else — directional kicking to keep it away from Hester.

Smith doesn’t buy that. He’d rather stick with the same routine and hope everyone does better.

“The idea is not to eliminate somebody, the idea is to defeat somebody,” Smith said. “Those are gimmick-type things. I think special teams are dictated by emotion and the playoffs are an emotional time, so I think our guys will go out and fly around, and you’ll see a different special teams.”

That probably wouldn’t put Purnell’s mind at ease.

Justin Miller of the Jets, ranked No. 1 in kickoff returns, scored against the Colts this season. So did Jacksonville’s Maurice Drew, ranked No. 3 in the category.

Hester averaged 26.4 yards per kickoff return, putting him fifth. The Colts plan to put him on the ground from the start.

“I think it’s more of what we do,” Purnell said. “Obviously, we need the guys who punt and kick to help your people and give them an opportunity to make tackles. We just have to do everything a little better.”