INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jonathan Taylor embraced having a lighter workload and a shorter day Sunday.
The Indianapolis Colts still got the same result.
Taylor scored three more touchdowns, needing only 12 carries to rush for 153, yards and Daniel Jones threw three TD passes before giving way to the backups as the Colts posted their second rout of Tennessee this season, 38-14, to move to an NFL-best 7-1.
“He’s really, really good,” Jones said, referring to Taylor. “It seems like he makes long run after long run. He didn’t have as many plays today as he’s had throughout the season, but he’s really big in those situations. When the ball is in his hands, he makes something happen.”
Nobody knows that better than the Titans (1-7), who saw Taylor become the first player in league history to score three times in three straight games against the same team. Taylor ran for three scores against Tennessee in September; he did the same last December in the teams’ second meeting of 2024.
This time, he scored on runs of 18 and 80 yards before Jones flipped the ball to him in the backfield for a 19-yard score that officially went down as a TD reception. Indy has won four straight while scoring at least 31 points in each — thanks in large part to Taylor.
“It’s hard to put into words, to be honest, because when you see the way he’s running, the way guys are blocking for him, it’s special,” coach Shane Steichen said. “He’s running hard, running physical and even when things aren’t clean in there, he’s finding ways to get 3, 4 yards. When he hit that 80-yard touchdown run down the sideline and stayed in bounds, that’s as impressive as it gets.”
Taylor is opening things up for his teammates. Jones was 21 of 29 with 272 yards despite being sacked a season-high three times. Michael Pittman Jr., drafted seven spots ahead of Taylor in 2020, had eight catches for 95 yards and a matched a career high with his sixth TD reception this season.
The Titans have lost three straight, including both games since coach Brian Callahan was fired and Mike McCoy took over on an interim basis, and six of their seven losses have come by double digits. Indy swept the season series with victory margins of 21 and 24 points.
Tennessee rookie Cam Ward was 22 of 38 for 259 yards with one TD and one interception. Tyjae Spears rushed nine times for 59 yards and a score.
That wasn’t nearly enough against the league’s highest-scoring team.
“It stinks, losing,” McCoy said. “It’s frustrating for everybody when you’re not winning football games. We’ve got to find a way to win one of these football games. Each week it’s tougher to swallow the pill.”
After the Colts settled for a field goal on their opening possession, Taylor’s 18-yard TD run on the next series made it 10-0.
Tennessee answered with Ward’s 1-yard TD pass to Gunnar Helm.
Pittman made two highlight-worthy catches on Indy’s next series — first a tip to himself between three defenders, then a left-handed grab at the goal line despite drawing an interference penalty for a 21-yard TD catch and a 17-7 lead.
Taylor broke it open with his 80-yard TD run on Indy’s first play of the second half and capped it off with the 19-yard TD catch early in the fourth.
“It’s rare,” Steichen said. “I’ve seen it since I’ve been here, but it’s just on another level this year. … He’s rolling.”
Injuries
Titans: Tennessee played without three defensive starters, including DT Jeffery Simmons, and then lost linebacker Ali Gaye to a knee injury in the first quarter and starting safety Xavier Woods to a hamstring injury in the second half.
Colts: Defensive ends Samson Ebukam (knee) and Tyquan Lewis (groin) were inactive after suffering injuries last week, and receiver/kick returner Anthony Gould left late in the game with a knee injury.
Inside the numbers
Titans: Dre’mont Jones’ sack with less than a minute to play in the first half marked his third straight game with a sack. … Spears’ 41-yard rush to set up the Titans first TD was Tennessee’s longest run since Derrick Henry departed following the 2023 season. … Johnny Hekker booted his 1,000th career punt during the third quarter.
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Colts: In the second quarter, Jones was sacked on third-and-10, the first time he’d gone down on a third down all season. … Rigoberto Sanchez matched his season high by punting four times. He still has the lowest punt total in the league at 16.
Indiana Jones
During home games, Indy plays a lookalike game on its video boards, though none has been quite like this one. On Sunday, the Colts put up an image of movie character Indiana Jones before the camera panned down to the huddle and found Indy’s quarterback, who’s been given the nickname “Indiana Jones” this season. The loud roar appeared to get Jones’ attention, though he didn’t address it in his postgame comments.
Up next
Titans: Host the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday before having their bye week.
Colts: Visit Pittsburgh next Sunday.
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