Running back Jonathan Taylor is arguably the best player on the Indianapolis Colts... and during the Week 15 game against the Denver Broncos, he made a major mistake that cost his team their shot at the playoffs.
In the first half, the Colts were leading the Broncos, and in the first quarter especially, showed complete domination. The second half started off looking promising: Samuel Womack III had a pick against Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, and that was immediately followed with a spectacular run from Taylor. It was a gorgeous 41-yard run for a touchdown, putting the Colts up 20-7.
Only it wasn't.
The referees quickly called it a fumble and a touchback, which erased the Colts' touchdown and gave the Broncos the ball back at the 20-yard line. On the sideline, Taylor could be seen looking noticeably stunned, and the call has already been controversial among fans, many who have said he didn't drop the ball until he was past the pylons. But all the same, dropping the ball was a fatal error for Taylor, and it arguably is what lost the game.
To be clear, the second half was an unmitigated disaster for the offense. It seemed everyone, including head coach Shane Steichen, was doing the best they could to make sure the Colts lost. The offensive line crumbled, giving Anthony Richardson no protection whatsoever and Taylor no room to run. Receivers were, yet again, dropping passes that should have been caught. And then there were the countless penalties.
All of that can't be blamed on Taylor.
However, this was a serious momentum swing in the game. The Broncos were struggling through the entire first half to make anything happen, and in their first drive of the second, had an immediate interception. Things weren't looking good for the Broncos, until Taylor gave them an opportunity. That was the turning point in a game in which the Colts very easily could have won, to a game in which they were humiliated.
The final score may not indicate that Taylor's touchdown would have been a make-or-break moment for the Colts, but a reinvigorated Denver team was able to stomp all over Indianapolis thanks to that momentum shift. Had Taylor not dropped the ball, the Colts would have been up 13 points, and the momentum would have stayed on their side. How different could the game have been?
It's a shame, because Taylor otherwise had a great game. He had more rushing yards then the entire Broncos team combined, and ran for over 100 yards. But unfortunately, whenever anyone looks back on this game, all they'll remember is this inexcusable mistake and how it cost Indy the playoffs.