The Colts found themselves on the wrong end of the largest comeback in NFL history on Saturday against the Vikings, but they also might have lost the heartbeat of their offense.
According to NFL Network, Jonathan Taylor suffered a high-ankle sprain in the loss.
It’s already a lost season for the Colts, who are 4-9-1 with three games remaining and are riding out the year with a struggling Matt Ryan at quarterback. Along with Ryan’s struggles, the Colts have missed standout linebacker Shaquille Leonard, and Taylor hasn’t been nearly as productive as he was when he led the NFL in rushing last season. Could his season now be over?
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Here’s the latest on Taylor’s status and a timeline for a return.
How long is Jonathan Taylor out?
Taylor will be out for the rest of the season.
Indianapolis announced on Tuesday that Taylor would be placed on injured reserve, ending his 2022 campaign.
Taylor left Saturday’s loss early on, well before the Colts built up the lead they would ultimately let slip away, and didn’t return. With the team just about out of contention, there’s little reason to risk the long-term health of such a key piece of the future.
Taylor has already missed time with ankle troubles this season, missing two games in October and then another in November after aggravating the injury. Assuming Taylor doesn’t play again this season, he will have missed six total games.
Jonathan Taylor stats
Taylor hasn’t come close to his 2021 level of production this season for numerous reasons.
Missing time with an ankle injury was a major factor, slowing down his momentum midseason, but the breakdown of the Colts’ offensive line and regression at the quarterback position all allowed defenses to gain an advantage against the all-pro.
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Taylor finished the year with 861 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry, which is solid but still down from his 5.5 yards per carry last season. Taylor led the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2021, finishing second in Offensive Player of the Year voting.
Considering how heavily the Colts relied on their running game last season, they’ll need to take steps to ensure the offensive line bounces back next season if they want to keep Taylor healthy and productive in his contract year.