Indianapolis Colts Running Back Jonathan Taylor is glad to be back ‘doing what he loves’ after an early season sabbatical.
Watch the Indianapolis Colts take on the New England Patriots in Frankfurt, Germany live on Sky Sports NFL from 1.30pm Sunday, with kickoff at 2.30pm; the San Francisco 49ers then face the Jacksonville Jaguars from 6pm, followed by the Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Chargers.
Jonathan Taylor, running back for the Indianapolis Colts, says his delayed start to the season felt “like a car crash” as he prepares to take another step back toward top form against the New England Patriots on Sunday in Frankfurt.
Taylor signed to a three-year, $42 million contract deal with the Colts in early October, after spending the first four games of the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
His return followed a difficult offseason in which he requested a trade on July 29 due to stalled negotiations as he entered the final year of his rookie contract, all while recovering from offseason surgery on the ankle ailment that interrupted his season in Week 15 last year.
The 2021 rushing leader made his season debut in a Week 5 win over the Tennessee Titans.
“It’s amazing when you can get back to doing something you love after being away from it for a long time,” Taylor told Sky Sports NFL’s Neil Reynolds. “Not only do I enjoy what I do, but I do it with the people I care about. We work every day.
“It’s a shock to the body when you first return; it’s almost like simulating a car accident, and you’re like, ‘I haven’t felt that in a while.'”
“After the first week, your body adapts and you begin to feel better. You can’t mimic it. Nothing beats an actual game of football; you just
Taylor has since shared time in the backfield with Zack Moss, who is second in the league with 615 running yards and five touchdown runs as one of Shane Steichen’s offensive standouts.
His return has alleviated some of the pressure on Taylor’s return, as the 2020 second-round selection has failed to reach 100 yards in a game this season.
“It’s been about having that communication with him, so when he’s out there and rips off a big run he can come back to the sideline and I’ll ask ‘what run was that, how did they play it?’,” he said.
“To have that communication and to bounce off each other, when you go into the game you have a pre-determination so you can attack it a certain way.”
Neutrals, observers, and Colts supporters all salivated at the thought of Taylor and quarterback Anthony Richardson leading Steichen’s multi-layered RPO strategy.
Those plans were put on hold until next year after rookie first-round pick Richardson had a season-ending shoulder injury.
Meanwhile, Taylor is entrusted with building the groundwork for his teammate’s eventual return, which includes recreating the rhythm that saw him tear up opposing defenses in his second year.
“No. 1, it’s a very instinctive position,” he said of the running back. “But if you want to go to the next level and become one of those elite and famous backs, they all have a strategy.
“They all watch the tape all week and understand their opponent and know if they play fast or slow, so you can manipulate the tempo against certain schemes.”
The Colts enter Sunday’s game with a 4-5 record after a 27-13 victory against the Carolina Panthers last weekend, thanks to two pick-sixes from Kenny Moore. For their opponents, worries about head coach Bill Belichick’s future linger as the Patriots enter with the worst record in the AFC, 2-7.
It is the season’s final international matchup, following last weekend’s drama between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins, as well as three consecutive games in London.
“It’s going to be surreal, to be able to play the game we love in another country and show the fans how much we love the game, how seriously we take it,” Taylor said.
“Being able to entertain the fans is going to be a surreal moment.”
