With the win over New England, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is now 3-0 for his career against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Even with the Patriots still in playoff contention, the fact that this game was a bit of an upset taught us a few things about how NFL offenses are going to play out in 2019.
The “most mvps nfl” is a term that refers to the most valuable player in each NFL season. The Indianapolis Colts’ MVP candidate found himself in rarified air after his team’s win over the New England Patriots.
This season, Jonathan Taylor has been outstanding for the Indianapolis Colts. He’s not only one of the top running backs in the game, but he’s also one of the league’s best overall players.
Taylor finds himself not just the toast of the NFL in 2021, but also in some rare historical air, after scoring a running touchdown in 11 consecutive games.
Jonathan Taylor was outstanding for the Indianapolis Colts against the New England Patriots.
If you don’t believe me, check out the Colts’ 27-17 triumph against the New England Patriots on Saturday.
The statistics speak for themselves. He ran the ball 29 times for 170 explosive yards and a score on 29 carries. What the figures don’t show you is how great his touchdown run was, and how important it was to Indianapolis in the final minutes of the game.
With 2:21 left in the game, the Colts were up 20-17 after New England scored a touchdown to get within three points. They regained possession of the ball on their own 31-yard line. The Patriots had a timeout and a two-minute warning, but they used the timeout on Indy’s opening play, giving the Colts a 2nd-and-8 from the 33 yard line. Bill Belichick, of course, was a master of the timeout game and had a chance to force a third-down run and move the ball back down to three yards after the two-minute timeout, but he never had the chance.
With 2:01 remaining in the game, Indianapolis threw the ball to Taylor, who dropped his shoulder, “went thin” through the gap, erupted into the defensive backfield, and ran it in for a 67-yard touchdown run to function as the dagger in New England’s back.
Taylor ran at 22.13 miles per hour on the run, according to Next Gen Stats, the quickest pace a ball carrier has attained in 2021.
He covered 67 yards in ten seconds.
Taylor is surrounded by illustrious company.
Every Heisman Trophy or MVP season has a “moment,” and Taylor’s run against New England may have been that moment. It also elevated him to a privileged position among some of the greatest rushers in NFL history.
His score against the Patriots was his 11th in a row, matching him with Emmitt Smith and Priest Holmes for the most consecutive touchdown runs in NFL history. Taylor is closing close on John Riggins, who had a running touchdown in each of his first 12 games in 1983, and LaDainian Tomlinson, who did the same in 2004.
That’s great enough on its own, but consider that Taylor has 17 touchdown runs in 11 games. That includes eight 100-yard games, four games with multiple touchdowns, and a triumph against the Bills in which he rushed for 185 yards and four touchdowns while also catching a touchdown pass.
He’s been fantastic.
Is it possible for Taylor to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award?
The Indianapolis Colts’ Jonathan Taylor #28 scores a touchdown against the New England Patriots in the fourth quarter | Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Without a question, Taylor is in the MVP debate, but how likely is it that he will win it?
Quarterbacks mainly win because, despite the fact that it is meant to go to the league’s most valuable player, it is predominantly a stat-based honor.
Adrian Peterson, the last running back to win the MVP award, did so in 2012. He rushed 348 times for 2,097 yards and 12 running touchdowns in that season. He rushed for an amazing 131.1 yards per game on average. Taylor hasn’t quite reached the heights of AP superstardom, but he’s every bit as important to his team’s success as Peterson was to the Vikings that season. Taylor has now run for 1,518 yards and 17 touchdowns on 270 attempts. He has a 108.4 yard per game average.
At the top of the MVP rankings, Taylor will face Tom Brady (4,134 yards, 36 touchdowns, 10 interceptions) and Aaron Rodgers (3,219 yards, 27 touchdowns, four interceptions, three running touchdowns). Nonetheless, he is unquestionably deserving of being listed among two other players who have each won six MVP honors.
“With what he’s doing now in the NFL, there’s no doubt that he’s the MVP,” Colts linebacker Darius Leonard said after the Patriots’ triumph.
Taylor may not win MVP, but he is unquestionably deserved.
ESPN and Pro Football Reference provided the statistics. Spotrac provides contract information.
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