Indianapolis Colts offensive threats Jonathan Taylor and Mo Alie-Cox did something we haven’t seen in a decade.
Entering the 2020 season, the Colts expected to unleash a three-headed backfield led by two veterans, supplementing a second-round rookie. They had a lot hinging on a pair of dynamic tight ends, too.
Two weeks later? Eh, scrap that.
Already, Indianapolis has lost contract-year RB Marlon Mack for the season, and tight ends Trey Burton and Jack Doyle to lesser maladies, not to mention Parris Campbell in the slot.
Apparently, though, these losses have already brought about new offensive heights (??) in the first week with different leaders in place. RB Jonathan Taylor, in his first bulk work in Week 2, and new starting TE Mo Alie-Cox just hit some offensive marks that the Colts haven’t seen since the days of Joseph Addai and Pierre Garcon.
Indianapolis has a 100-yard rusher (Jonathan Taylor) and a 100-yard receiver (Mo Alie-Cox). It is the first time that the Colts have had a 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver in the same game since Joseph Addai (128) and Pierre Garcon (103) on Dec. 17, 2010, at Washington.
— Hayden Clark (@HaydenClark81) September 20, 2020
Not only did the 2020 Colts rewrite recent history, but they did it with a tight end instead of a wide receiver. If that’s not classic Philip Rivers, we don’t know what is.
Half of this duo brought clear expectations to the party when he gained emphasis in the offense — after all, Colts fans have been waiting all summer long to watch Jonathan Taylor get unleashed, even before it became necessary.
But Alie-Cox finishing off the receiver/running back tandem here? Even the most optimistic among us (honestly, the editorial team at Horseshoe Heroes was probably in the top 1%) probably didn’t see him crossing the century mark in his debut as the featured TE.
And with a lot of room for improvement, too; his passivity in the end zone brought about the Rivers pick that could’ve changed the game.
https://twitter.com/Colts/status/1307737594952929281?s=20
“Next Man Up” is a tough way to fight through an NFL season, but the Colts effectively did it with one young star and one impressive insurance plan in Week 2.
Not only did Taylor and Alie-Cox persevere, but they took this offense to new heights they hadn’t reached in a decade. We’re excited once more for what the next 14 games have in store.
Hopefully, there’s more longevity here than there was with the Addai/Garcon package, too.
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