A week after Jonathan Taylor nearly ended the Colts’ playoff hopes, he kept them alive in Week 16
News

A week after Jonathan Taylor nearly ended the Colts’ playoff hopes, he kept them alive in Week 16

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor redeemed himself in a big way on Sunday, virtually single-handedly keeping the team’s playoff hopes alive a week after a major blunder.

In Week 15, Taylor was on the verge of a 41-yard touchdown run against the Denver Broncos that could have given the Colts a 20-7 lead in the third quarter. Instead, Taylor accidentally dropped the ball a yard short of the end zone and turned it over. The Broncos took advantage of the momentum shift and ultimately won 31-13.

Against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Taylor had a monster performance: He ran for 218 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries in a 38-30 win for Indianapolis.

Taylor’s dominance made up for a mediocre passing attack, as second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson completed just 7 of 11 passes for 131 yards.

Taylor’s first touchdown of the day was a 65-yard burst down the middle of the field that gave the Colts a 14-7 lead.

Then, in the third quarter, Taylor outdid himself with a 70-yard score as he ran right past the Titans’ defense down the left sideline.

For good measure, Taylor added a one-yard score later in the third.

Taylor’s explosion couldn’t have come at a greater time for Indianapolis. According to NFL.com, the Colts entered Sunday’s game with a 1 percent chance of making the playoffs with a loss, but a 15 percent chance of making the postseason with a win.

Ultimately, Indianapolis still has an uphill climb ahead of them to secure a Wild Card spot in the AFC. But Taylor’s three points make a potential playoff push much more realistic.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *