1. The biggest reason for Jonathan Taylor's historic pace is...
I asked running backs coach DeAndre Smith last week why Taylor, over the first half of 2025, has been the best running back in the NFL. The answer was pretty obvious – but that doesn't mean it wasn't important.
"No. 1, he's healthy," Smith said on last week's episode of The Colts Show podcast. "I've always believe that's a key, just keeping him healthy. I feel like this is the first time I've been with him, the last three seasons now, that he's been healthy and I can work with him on developing all the little things that are important."
Taylor missed three games due to injury in 2024, seven games in 2023 and six games in 2022. The last time Taylor was healthy for a full season was 2021, when he led the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards on 332 carries and had 20 total touchdowns.
With 850 yards on 143 attempts and 14 total touchdowns in eight games, Taylor is on pace for 1,806 rushing yards on 303 attempts with about 30 total touchdowns. Don't take "on pace" stats as gospel, certainly, since we're not even at the halfway point of this season yet.
But the larger point here is that Taylor, when healthy, is among the best players – not just running backs – in the NFL. Taylor has said he feels like he's a better running back than he was in 2021, and the film certainly shows it, but the reason why he's once again putting up remarkable numbers isn't because of some monumental shift.
It's because he's healthy.
"I think his health is a big part of it," head coach Shane Steichen said. "He came into training camp ready to roll. I think our training staff and DeAndre and everybody in the coaching staff, is making sure he's getting what he needs to get through the week – all the reps he needs for practice so he's fresh and he's ready to go on Sundays."
2. With just 14 touches, the Colts managed Taylor's workload.
Taylor's 14 touches were tied for the 11th-fewest he's had in any of his 76 regular season/playoff games, yet he still scored three touchdowns – the sixth time he's done that in those 76 games.
The Colts, though, only ran 46 plays before pulling their starters in the fourth quarter. And, too, this wasn't necessarily a game in which they needed to lean on pounding the ball with Taylor to win. As the calendar shifts to November, December and January, those games may come.
But Steichen's "throw to score, run to win" philosophy is, in reality, working in outstanding concert with Taylor's production.
Taylor, too, is still averaging 21 touches per game this season – a little under where he was in 2021 (21.9) and his career high in 2024 (22.9). That's still a relatively high volume, even amid this throw-to-score-run-to-win offense.
Within games, Smith is constantly watching Taylor, evaluating if he needs to give the star running back a breather. But he also doesn't have a quick hook, as he explained on last week's Colts Show podcast.
"We have a little deal that if he looks like he's really tired and he kind of looks like, ah, he might want to come out, I always say — he, give me one more," Smith said. "So he knows that if he's there, it's gonna be one more no matter what."
3. Daniel Jones turned in yet another solid game.
Jones' passer rating of 136.0 was a new 2025 high-water mark, and was the second-highest passer rating he's had in any game in his career. He completed 21 of 29 passes (72.4 percent) for 272 yards with three touchdowns, good for an average of 9.4 yards per attempt.
While he was sacked a season-high three times, Jones again did not commit a turnover on Sunday; he's avoided an interception or a fumble in six of his eight games this year. His ability to avoid turnovers (and, over the season, sacks) has massively raised his floor; his ceiling in a given week is also high thanks to throws like the deep shot he completed to Alec Pierce, or the touchdown he fired to Michael Pittman Jr., or in general how consistently he gets the Colts into the right plays for the defense in front of him.
But back to those negative plays: Jones, with the New York Giants, averaged a little over four sacks/fumbles/interceptions per game. Over his eight starts with the Colts, he's averaging 1.75 sacks+fumbles+interceptions per game.
"You take care of the football, and you get takeaways on defense, you're going to win a lot of football games," Steichen said. "He's doing a great job doing that for us."
Speaking of takeaways on defense, that brings us to...
4. The Colts' defense is subsiding on splash plays.
Chris Lammons' end zone interception in the fourth quarter gave the Colts at least one takeaway in all eight of their games this season; they also sacked Titans quarterback Cam Ward four times, bringing their season total to 23.
And while the Colts are 24th in yards per game allowed (345.1) and are 30th on third down (47.1 percent), they have been able to create explosive plays on defense:
| Stat | # | NFL rank |
|---|---|---|
| Interceptions | 10 | T-2nd |
| Sacks | 23 | T-5th |
| Tackles for a loss/no gain | 46 | 6th |
| Forced fumbles | 2 | T-26th |
| Total takeaways | 12 | T-3rd |
| Sacks + TFL/NG | 69 | 4th |
These numbers are a key reason why the Colts are holding opponents to 19.3 points per game, sixth-best in the NFL.
As the Colts get reinforcements back on defense – cornerback Jaylon Jones (hamstring) returned to practice last week but did not play, and cornerback Charvarius Ward (concussion) will be on injured reserve through at least the bye week – their down-to-down defense may improve. But for now, this defense is doing well for itself in creating turnovers, sacks and negative plays.
5. Cornerback Chris Lammons went six years between interceptions.
Chris Lammons' first career interception came during his rookie year of 2019 with the Miami Dolphins on the final play of a Week 13 game against the Philadelphia Eagles; he hauled in a Carson Wentz Hail Mary attempt to secure a 37-31 Dolphins victory.
His second career interception came on Sunday in Week 8 of the 2025 season against the Titans, when he picked off Ward in the end zone on a fourth down throw in the fourth quarter.
"The longer you're in the league," Lammons said, "the longer you trust the grind."
The 29-year-old Lammons is in his seventh NFL season and on his third team, having spent time with the Dolphins (2019), Kansas City Chiefs (2020-2022) and Colts (2023-2025). He's primarily been a special teams player, but it's a role he's embraced ever since his time with the Chiefs – during which he appeared in three playoff games, including for the Super Bowl champion 2022 Chiefs.
With the Colts, Lammons hopes he can be an example for teammates – not as a regular starter, but as someone who understands their place on the team.
"I learned this in Kansas City — everybody has a role," Lammons said. "It's your job to lead by example in your role. Everybody can't be the quarterback, everybody can't be the leader of the defense, but everybody has a role and they have to do that role to their best ability."
View the best photos from the Colts' 38-14 win over the Tennessee Titans, Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Josh Downs #1
TE Tyler Warren #84, WR Josh Downs #1 and G Quenton Nelson #56
QB Daniel Jones #17
Shane Steichen Head Coach
T Braden Smith #72, G Matt Goncalves #71, G Tanor Bortolini #60 and G Quenton Nelson #56
QB Daniel Jones #17
CB Kenny Moore II #23
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99
CB Kenny Moore II #23
CB Kenny Moore II #23 and DE Laiatu Latu #97
QB Daniel Jones #17 and Shane Steichen Head Coach
QB Daniel Jones #17 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and T Braden Smith #72
TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Josh Downs #1 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
G Quenton Nelson #56 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and Shane Steichen Head Coach
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
RB Ameer Abdullah #26
TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Jonathan Taylor #28, WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Alec Pierce #14, G Matt Goncalves #71, WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11, RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
QB Daniel Jones #17 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Anthony Gould #6
CB Kenny Moore II #23
DE J.T. Tuimoloau #91 and DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT Grover Stewart #90
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
DE Laiatu Latu #97, DT DeForest Buckner #99, LB Zaire Franklin #44, DT Grover Stewart #90 and DE Kwity Paye #51
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
S Camryn Bynum #0 and CB Kenny Moore II #23
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Alec Pierce #14 and TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Alec Pierce #14, G Quenton Nelson #56, WR Josh Downs #1, WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11, WR Josh Downs #1, TE Tyler Warren #84, TE Tyler Warren #84 and T Braden Smith #72
TE Tyler Warren #84, WR Josh Downs #1, WR Josh Downs #1, G Matt Goncalves #71 and T Braden Smith #72
LB Zaire Franklin #44 and DT Grover Stewart #90
S Camryn Bynum #0
DE Durell Nchami #74
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95 and DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99 and Shane Steichen Head Coach
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Tyler Goodson #31, RB Ameer Abdullah #26 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
G Matt Goncalves #71, WR Josh Downs #1, RB Tyler Goodson #31, RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and T Braden Smith #72
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11, WR Josh Downs #1, QB Daniel Jones #17 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Josh Downs #1
WR Josh Downs #1
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and G Tanor Bortolini #60
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
C Tanor Bortolini #60, WR Josh Downs #1, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, T Bernhard Raimann #79 and WR Alec Pierce #14
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Ameer Abdullah #26, G Quenton Nelson #56, T Bernhard Raimann #79, RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Drew Ogletree #85, G Quenton Nelson #56, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, TE Tyler Warren #84 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Josh Downs #1 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
DE JT Tuimoloau #91
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95 and DE J.T. Tuimoloau #91
DE J.T. Tuimoloau #91
LB Austin Ajiake #58 and LB Buddy Johnson #59
CB Chris Lammons #38
CB Chris Lammons #38
QB Riley Leonard #15
LB Austin Ajiake #58 and LB Buddy Johnson #59
LB Austin Ajiake #58 and LB Buddy Johnson #59
CB Chris Lammons #38, LB Austin Ajiake #58 and LB Buddy Johnson #59
WR Anthony Gould #6
QB Daniel Jones #17, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, G Quenton Nelson #56, WR Josh Downs #1, G Tanor Bortolini #60, WR Alec Pierce #14, G Matt Goncalves #71, WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and QB Daniel Jones #17
Rudy Galván Rivera Director of Colts Production, WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
DT DeForest Buckner #99
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Tyler Goodson #31 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Daniel Jones #17
TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
T Bernhard Raimann #79, RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and G Matt Goncalves #71
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
CB Cameron Mitchell #43, LB Segun Olubi #50 and CB Chris Lammons #38
CB Kenny Moore II #23, LB Zaire Franklin #44 and CB Chris Lammons #38
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
TE Tyler Warren #84
QB Daniel Jones #17
K Michael Badgley #12
S Nick Cross #20
CB Mekhi Blackmon #29
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
CB Kenny Moore II #23
Shane Steichen Head Coach
Shane Steichen Head Coach
WR Anthony Gould #6
QB Daniel Jones #17
Shane Steichen Head Coach
QB Daniel Jones #17 and Shane Steichen Head Coach
CB Kenny Moore II #23
LB Zaire Franklin #44
DE Durell Nchami #74
LB Germaine Pratt #53
Shane Steichen Head Coach
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
G Quenton Nelson #56, G Matt Goncalves #71, T Bernhard Raimann #79, QB Daniel Jones #17, T Braden Smith #72, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, TE Mo Alie-Cox #81, WR Josh Downs #1 and WR Alec Pierce #14
QB Daniel Jones #17 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
C Tanor Bortolini #60 and T Braden Smith #72
WR Anthony Gould #6
WR Anthony Gould #6
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Ameer Abdullah #26
WR Alec Pierce #14
14 WR Alec Pierce
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Alec Pierce #14 and TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Josh Downs #1, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, G Matt Goncalves #71, G Quenton Nelson #56, WR Alec Pierce #14, TE Tyler Warren #84 and T Braden Smith #72
G Quenton Nelson #56, T Bernhard Raimann #79, QB Daniel Jones #17, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, G Quenton Nelson #56, G Matt Goncalves #71, T Braden Smith #72, WR Alec Pierce #14, TE Tyler Warren #84, WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and WR Josh Downs #1
WR Josh Downs #1
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11, WR Josh Downs #1, QB Daniel Jones #17, WR Alec Pierce #14, T Braden Smith #72, T Bernhard Raimann #79 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
S Camryn Bynum #0
CB Kenny Moore II #23 and LB Zaire Franklin #44
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DT DeForest Buckner #99
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
RB Ameer Abdullah #26, T Bernhard Raimann #79, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, G Quenton Nelson #56 and TE Tyler Warren #84
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95 and DE J.T. Tuimoloau #91
CB Chris Lammons #38
QB Riley Leonard #15 and RB Tyler Goodson #31
QB Riley Leonard #15
QB Riley Leonard #15
WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Josh Downs #1
K Michael Badgley #12
S Camryn Bynum #0
CB Kenny Moore II #23
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and CB Kenny Moore II #23
T Jalen Travis #75
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
CB Kenny Moore II #23
S Nick Cross #20
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
G Quenton Nelson #56 and TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Tyler Warren #84
QB Daniel Jones #17
DT Grover Stewart #90
LB Segun Olubi #50
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DT Grover Stewart #90
DT Grover Stewart #90
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
K Michael Badgley #12 and P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11, WR Alec Pierce #14, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, WR Josh Downs #1 and G Quenton Nelson #56
K Michael Badgley #12
S Camryn Bynum #0
DT DeForest Buckner #99 and Shane Steichen Head Coach
TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Daniel Jones #17 and TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Josh Downs #1 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Tyler Goodson #31
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT Neville Gallimore #92
CB Chris Lammons #38
CB Chris Lammons #38
CB Chris Lammons #38
CB Chris Lammons #38
TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81, RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and WR Alec Pierce #14
QB Daniel Jones #17 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Daniel Jones #17 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
G Matt Goncalves #71, C Tanor Bortolini #60 and G Quenton Nelson #56
QB Daniel Jones #17, G Quenton Nelson #56, G Matt Goncalves #71 and C Tanor Bortolini #60
WR Ashton Dulin #16
QB Daniel Jones #17
K Michael Badgley #12
DT DeForest Buckner #99
S Camryn Bynum #0, DT DeForest Buckner #99 and LB Zaire Franklin #44
DT Grover Stewart #90 and LB Germaine Pratt #53
CB Kenny Moore II #23
CB Kenny Moore II #23
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and CB Kenny Moore II #23
CB Jaylon Jones #40
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81, WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11, RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and T Bernhard Raimann #79
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and WR Alec Pierce #14
T Braden Smith #72, QB Daniel Jones #17, G Matt Goncalves #71, C Tanor Bortolini #60, T Bernhard Raimann #79 and G Quenton Nelson #56
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
CB Johnathan Edwards #35, WR Ashton Dulin #16, LB Zaire Franklin #44, LB Germaine Pratt #53 and LB Germaine Pratt #53
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
TE Tyler Warren #84
QB Daniel Jones #17, RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and LB Jaylon Carlies #57
QB Daniel Jones #17
G Quenton Nelson #56, WR Josh Downs #1, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Josh Downs #1
WR Josh Downs #1
DE Kwity Paye #51
DE JT Tuimoloau #91
DT DeForest Buckner #99
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
LB Buddy Johnson #59
