The San Francisco 49ers are an odd team this season. They have lost numerous players to injury, such as star edge rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner, but they are still 10-4 and fighting for a playoff spot. The Indianapolis Colts have seen the same kind of season occur, but Indy is slipping at the end.
The narrative could be changed with a victory against San Francisco on Monday Night Football in Week 16. A win would push the Colts to 9-6 and still with a fighting chance for the postseason. Is it a slim chance? Yes, but still a chance.
While it is obvious that Lou Anarumo's defense needs to be very good again (and the team is getting back defensive lineman DeForest Buckner from injury for the game), the clearest path Indy has to winning is giving the ball to Jonathan Taylor. A lot.
Jonathan Taylor needs the ball a lot for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16 versus the San Francisco 49ers
The team did that against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, too, and Indianapolis came within a last-minute field goal of shocking the NFL world. Taylor had 28 touches, including 25 carries. He gained just 87 yards, but that was excusable against a terrific Seattle defense. The 49ers aren't nearly as good defensively.
Plus, Taylor needs even more touches, possibly as many as 35. The season is almost over, and not giving the ball to arguably the best running back in the league would be unforgivable.
Meanwhile, San Francisco allowed an anemic Tennessee Titans rushing attack to run for 136 yards, including 104 on 14 carries to Tony Pollard. It was only the second time this season that Pollard had run for over 100 yards, the only other time coming against the crumbling Cleveland Browns.
In their previous game, the 49ers allowed the Browns to run for 138 yards, including 91 to rookie Quinshon Judkins. That was Judkins' third-most yards rushing in a game.
Needless to say, neither Pollard nor Judkins is anywhere nearly as good as Jonathan Taylor. San Francisco obviously knows to key on him, especially as quarterback Philip Rivers is unlikely to test the 49ers with passes deep down the field, but plenty of teams have known to focus on Taylor and still failed.
Plus, Jonathan Taylor is due. He hasn't had a game rushing for more than 87 yards in a game since Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons, when he ran for 244 yards. He carried Indianapolis to a victory in that game, and he can do so in Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers. That might be enough to keep the Indianapolis Colts' playoff hopes alive.