Indianapolis Colts MVP: Week 13 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Indianapolis Colts have not been great this season and while many expected the defensive growing pains, the loss of Andrew Luck has taken a toll on the offensive production. Luckily for Indianapolis, Frank Gore shows up every snap of every game.

The Jaguars’ top-ranked defense has made a living of limiting opposing runners all season long. While rookie Marlon Mack made several key plays for Indianapolis in the running game, it was the 34-year old Gore who stole the show in Jacksonville. Gore was not only able to claim the Colts’ top rushing honors, but he also out-gained rookie phenom Leonard Fournette and Chris Ivory.

Fournette and Ivory combined for 69 yards on 24 carries against Indianapolis compared to Gore who piled on 61 yards on just 13 attempts. That’s an impressive 4.7 yards per carry for a running back that should be way past his prime behind an offensive line made of backups and practice squad guys.

It would also be ludicrous to omit the history Gore accomplished Sunday. The game marked the 103rd straight game Gore has started, a streak that’s 75 games longer than any running back in football. Earlier this season, he became the first back to start 100 straight games since Martin reached the milestone in 2005.

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Amazingly Gore had two bigger achievements on the day. He managed to move ahead of two Hall of Famers for fifth place on the NFL’s career rushing-yardage. He passed Jerome Bettis when he went off-tackle for an 11-yard gain in the second quarter. Gore took another step towards history when he moved ahead of LaDainian Tomlinson on a 16-yard run in the third quarter.

Gore spoke with Mike Wells after the game and said, “I respect all the guys who I passed, especially the one today, LT. I remember when I first came in the league. I was in San Francisco my rookie year, and we played against them in the preseason. I was like a little kid when I met him. I respect the way he plays the game. He was one of my top five who I liked as a player.”

Next: Colts With the Most to Play For: Safety Darius Butler

Gore will have several more chances to add to his Colts legacy before the season ends. The question will then become whether or not Gore returns to Indianapolis because his contract is up after this season.