Not running a ton against the Seahawks and Rams? Understandable. Those teams have two of the best front sevens in the league.
But what happened against the Titans, who famously have a below-average run defense? What happened against the Dolphins, who have one of the best secondaries in the league? Why were the Indianapolis Colts seemingly phasing Jonathan Taylor, arguably their most impactful offensive player, out of the game?
He logged just 10 carries against the Titans. Then, in the win over Miami, he eclipsed the 100-yard mark on 16 touches. Still not a lot, though. Marlon Mack came in and swiped 10 carries despite trade rumors swirling around him.
Is there something else we need to be worrying about when it comes to Taylor? Apparently … yes. He’s dealing with a knee injury that’s not entirely expected to go away.
#Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (knee) is expected to play today, source said, despite being listed as questionable. He had a little fluid build up in his knee, but it was more nagging than anything else. He’ll be fine.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 3, 2021
Should the Colts be worried about Jonathan Taylor’s knee injury?
Uhhh … yes, the Colts should be very concerned about this. If Taylor can’t be relied upon for at least 20 carries per game, then what are we doing here? Carson Wentz was not brought in to shoulder the load on offense. He’s supposed to be a playmaking quarterback who works in tandem with a potent rushing attack and helps open up the field as a result.
Taylor’s impact is undeniable, and it’s clear we can’t be expecting much from Mack, who was inactive against the Titans and then registered just 2.2 yards per carry against the Dolphins. On the year, he has 15 carries for 38 yards. Coming off an Achilles injury, it doesn’t help that the Colts’ offensive line is a disaster, but there has to be another solution.
On Twitter, a sports medicine doctor by the name of Jesse Morse speculated that Taylor’s knee swelling is “likely from an old injury to his meniscus.” It’s unclear if that’s the chief issue, but if it is and the Colts opt to keep him away from surgery, it’ll likely be a nagging injury for the remainder of the year.
The #Colts Jonathan Taylor reportedly has some swelling in his knee.
— Jesse Morse, MD (@DrJesseMorse) October 3, 2021
This is likely from an (old) injury to his meniscus. Without shutting him down, performing a scope/surgery to trim mensicus, this will likely linger all season.
Add in Nelson out & Wentz struggles, SELL JT?
Regardless of what’s causing the swelling, it certainly doesn’t sound like a one-and-done problem that will be gone by Week 5. The Colts need to figure this out fast, too, because Taylors 58 carries through the first four games is not enough and was never part of the offensive plan.
A part-time effort from Taylor is certainly better than nothing, but it’s not going to help Indy reach its full potential, especially with the Baltimore Ravens up next.
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