INDIANAPOLIS — Jonathan Taylor embraced having a lighter workload and a shorter outing Sunday.
The Indianapolis Colts still got the same result.
Taylor scored three more touchdowns while needing only 12 carries to rush for 153 yards, and Daniel Jones threw three touchdown passes before giving way to the backups as the Colts posted their second rout of the Tennessee Titans this season, 38-14 in an AFC South Division rivalry matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium, to move to an NFL-best 7-1.
“He’s really, really good,” Jones said, referring to Taylor. “It seems like he makes long run after long run. He didn’t have as many plays today as he’s had throughout the season, but he’s really big in those situations. When the ball is in his hands, he makes something happen.”
Nobody knows that better than the Titans (1-7), who saw Taylor become the first player in league history to score three times in three straight games against the same team. Taylor ran for three scores against Tennessee in September, when the Colts won 41-20 in Nashville; he did the same last December in the teams’ second meeting of 2024.
This time, he scored on runs of 18 and 80 yards before Jones flipped the ball to him in the backfield for a 19-yard score that officially went down as a touchdown reception. Indianapolis has won four straight games this season while scoring at least 31 points in each — thanks in large part to Taylor.
“It’s hard to put into words, to be honest, because when you see the way he’s running, the way guys are blocking for him, it’s special,” Indianapolis third-year head coach Shane Steichen said. “He’s running hard, running physical, and even when things aren’t clean in there, he’s finding ways to get 3, 4 yards. When he hit that 80-yard touchdown run down the sideline and stayed in bounds, that’s as impressive as it gets.”
Taylor is opening things up for his teammates. Jones was 21-of-29 passing for 272 yards despite being sacked a season-high three times. Michael Pittman Jr., drafted seven spots ahead of No. 41 overall pick Taylor in 2020, had eight catches for 95 yards and a matched a career high with his sixth touchdown reception this season.
The Titans have lost three straight, including both games since coach Brian Callahan was fired and Mike McCoy took over on an interim basis, and six of their seven losses have come by double digits. Indianapolis swept the regular-season series for the third year in a row.
Tennessee rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick this year, was 22-of-38 for 259 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Tyjae Spears rushed nine times for 59 yards and a score.
That wasn’t nearly enough against the league’s highest-scoring team.
“It stinks losing,” McCoy said. “It’s frustrating for everybody when you’re not winning football games. We’ve got to find a way to win one of these football games. Each week it’s tougher to swallow the pill.”
After the Colts settled for a field goal on their opening possession, Taylor’s 18-yard touchdown run on the next series made it 10-0.
Tennessee answered with Ward’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm.
Pittman made two highlight-worthy catches on the next series — first a tip to himself between three defenders, then a left-handed grab at the goal line despite drawing an interference penalty for a 21-yard touchdown catch and a 17-7 lead.
Taylor broke it open with his 80-yard touchdown on the Colts’ first play of the second half and capped his performance with the 19-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth.
“It’s rare,” Steichen said. “I’ve seen it since I’ve been here, but it’s just on another level this year. … He’s rolling.”
Tennessee played without three defensive starters, including three-time Pro Bowl tackle Jeffery Simmons, and then lost linebacker Ali Gaye to a knee injury in the first quarter and starting safety Xavier Woods to a hamstring injury in the second half.
The Titans host the Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) next Sunday before having their open date.