Jonathan Taylor rebounds with 218 yards, 3 TD runs as Colts hold off Titans

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jonathan Taylor rebounded from perhaps the most embarrassing moment of his career by rushing for 218 yards and scoring three times including runs of 65 and 70 yards Sunday, leading the Indianapolis Colts past the Tennessee Titans 38-30.

Indy rushed for a franchise-record 335 yards as Taylor posted the second-highest single-game rushing total in the league this season and also of his five-year career. The three rushing scores were the most since he scored four TDs against Buffalo in 2021.

Taylor's big day came one week after he dropped the ball before the goal line, and it bounced out of bounds for a touchback in a crushing loss at Denver.

This time, Taylor made sure that didn't happen again this week by holding onto the ball all the way through the end zone. Indy (7-8) won its fourth straight in this AFC South series.

Tennessee (3-12) lost its fourth in a row on an abysmal day for what had been a pretty stingy defense. The Titans allowed their most yards rushing since moving from Houston to Nashville in the late 1990s, and it was the second time in four games an opponent topped the 200-yard mark.

Taylor made it look easy after quarterback Mason Rudolph replaced the benched Will Levis and threw a picture perfect 38-yard TD pass to Calvin Ridley midway through the first quarter and set up the Titans for a 53-yard field goal. But when backup kicker Brayden Narveson came up short, things went awry quickly.

Anthony Richardson tied the score on his record-breaking score, a 5-yard run that gave him the most rushing TDs by a Colts quarterback in one season (six).

Taylor broke the tie by springing free for a 65-yard run, keeping the ball as he ran into the tunnel. A short field goal made it 17-7 and then Indy capitalized on Kenny Moore II's interception with a 27-yard TD pass from Richardson to Josh Downs to make it 24-7.

Taylor did it again on the first play of the second half, going untouched on a 70-yard TD run and then scoring on a 1-yard plunge to make it 38-7 midway through the third quarter.

The Titans climbed back within 38-30 with 2:47 to play thanks to two scoring runs from Tyjae Spears, a 6-yard TD catch by Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and two 2-point conversions.

Moore's second interception of the game as time expired sealed the outcome.

Injury report

Titans: It was a tough day on the injury front, too. Kicker Nick Folk missed the game with an abdominal injury. DT T'Vondre Sweat left after getting poked in the right eye but returned later. LB Kenneth Murray Jr. had X-rays on his injured wrist during the game. LB Otis Reed IV hurt his ankle. RG Dillon Radunz did not return after hurting his shoulder, and safety Amani Hooker hurt his shoulder in the second half.

Colts: Pro Bowl LG Quenton Nelson left early in the fourth quarter, slamming his helmet after he appeared to hurt his ankle but returned for Indy's final drive. Starting CB Jaylon Jones (throat) and defensive back Tre Flowers (shoulder) did not return after getting injured. Receiver Alec Pierce (concussion) and linebacker E.J. Speed (knee) were both inactive.

Up next

The Titans close out their road schedule next Sunday at Jacksonville while the Colts visit the New York Giants next Sunday.

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