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Colts' Jonathan Taylor Receives Prestigious AFC Accolade

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor won an NFL award after a strong showing vs. the Tennessee Titans.

Sean Ackerman

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) hands the ball off to Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) hands the ball off to Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Indianapolis Colts were fueled to victory against the Tennessee Titans thanks to a record-breaking performance from running back Jonathan Taylor.

Taylor carried the ball 29 times for 218 yards and three touchdowns in a game that broke the franchise record for most team rushing yards. The five-year veteran righted his wrongs after making a costly mistake against the Denver Broncos the week prior.

Taylor's historical game earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. His 65-yard and 70-yard touchdown runs highlighted his dominant running as the Colts took home a 38-30 victory against their AFC South foe.

To put into perspective how rare these types of numbers are, the last time a player rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns was in 2019 when Derrick Henry hit those marks. According to JJ Stankevitz, the Colts' team writer, those numbers have been accomplished only 28 times in NFL history.

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Taylor inched closer to holding the franchise record for total rushing yards on Sunday. Taylor's 218 yards jumped Marshall Faulk and Lydell Mitchell, landing him in 2nd place in team history. Taylor is now only 3,733 yards away from breaking the record.

It was only the second time Taylor had crossed the 200-yard mark in a game. The only other time was the 2020 season when Taylor hit 253 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Taylor last won the AFC's Offensive Player of the Week award in 2021, when he scored five touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills, and in 2022 when he ran for 147 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Colts will need to rely on Taylor's strong running again this week when they face the New York Giants. Indy must win out for any chance of making the playoffs.

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Sean Ackerman
SEAN ACKERMAN

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