Colts' Jonathan Taylor Discusses Thumb Injury, Return vs. Falcons
On November 26, the Indianapolis Colts returned from their bye week to secure a 27-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The win marked the third straight for the Colts as the team was starting to build momentum. Leading the Colts to victory that day was Jonathan Taylor, the former All-Pro running back who looked to be back to his old self after missing the first four games of the season. Taylor ran for 91 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns on the Buccaneers' defense that afternoon.
While fans celebrated the victory, no one knew that Taylor's performance came at a price. While Taylor ran wild, he realized there was a problem with his hand.
“I couldn’t even tell you – I just came back to the sideline and, ‘Something is not right. This is kind of weird,’" Taylor remembered. "Got checked out by the trainers, thought it was a jam so heavy tape job, heavy tape job, until of course you find out at the end of the game what’s really going on.”
Further evaluation of Taylor's hand revealed it was not just a jam. The running back had suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb. It is the thumb on his dominant hand and the hand he prefers when carrying the football. While a thumb injury may not seem like a big deal for a running back, it is crucial to ball security.
“You kind of just don’t have any power," Taylor remarked. "You have power, but your body won’t let you like – I’m squeezing, but it’s not giving me anything. I’m like, dang.”
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) drives for a touchdown but falls short for a first down against Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis III (24) and safety Christian Izien (29) at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
The Colts and Taylor decided the best course of action was to get surgery on the thumb, ensuring no further damage. The recovery would keep him out for a few weeks, but he would not be lost for the season. But after already having to miss the first quarter of the season due to injury, Taylor was very disappointed he would have to watch from the sidelines yet again.
"For me personally, I was sick," Taylor admitted. "I knew we would be good as a team just because I know the guys we have, the players we have, the mentality we have. I was just sick because I'm like, 'Man, another one? Just had my first one. Dang!' ... No one likes getting cut open, at all."
Taylor may have had confidence in his teammates to get the job done, but the Colts' running game has struggled without #28 in the backfield. In the first two games after Taylor's injury, the Colts rushed for 101 yards on 41 carries (2.5 ypc). Zack Moss had done a great job as the primary back when Taylor was out to begin the year, but he was not having the same success this time around.
Indy got the running game going against the Pittsburgh Steelers a week ago. After Moss went down with an injury of his own, Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson stepped in and carried the load. The Colts rushed for 170 yards on 34 carries (5.0 ypc) in the win.
But the Colts' rushing offense is much better when Taylor is in the fold. The explosiveness he brings to the backfield is unmatched by anyone on the Colts roster. It is why when Taylor is at full strength, he is not only one of the best playmakers on the team but in the NFL.
"It adds an explosive player to our offense, someone that can pop big runs anytime," wide receiver Alec Pierce said about Taylor. "He’s also a really good leader for our team too. That aspect will help too.”
There is a chance Taylor will make his return to the field against the Atlanta Falcons. Taylor was listed as a full participant in the Colts walk-through on Wednesday and expected to hit the field on Thursday for his first live practice since injuring his thumb. Taylor talked about how significant Thursday's practice would be.
“Yeah, first day full-speed back," Taylor said with a smile. "I mean, of course everything we’ve been doing has been training room and control but full-speed is – you’ve got full velocity on the ball, you’ve got guys coming after the ball. It’s going to be a big day.”
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) celebrates his touchdown with teammates in the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Taylor is trying to return as quickly as possible for the Colts' final playoff push. Indy currently holds the seventh seed in the conference but is also in a three-way tie atop the AFC South division. With the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans dealing with injuries to their quarterbacks, the Colts could potentially capture the division crown by winning their final three games.
The last time Taylor saw playoff action was in 2020, his rookie season. Taylor almost single-handedly carried the Colts to the playoffs in 2021, but the team fell just short. To say Taylor desperately wants to return to the postseason would be an understatement.
"It's a lot of emotion because you know, 'Okay, we're close, we're close.' But you've got to stay focused because close is not good enough," Taylor explained. "How do we get closer? Taking care of business Sunday, then the next one.
"But it's very, very exciting to just kind of be mentioning that because we know we have the team, the caliber (of) team to do it. But it's all about execution. It's one thing to say you can do it. It's another thing to go out and do it."
The Colts will need to execute at a high level to beat a 6-8 Falcons squad that is fighting for their playoff lives as well. Having Taylor healthy and leading the ground game will go a long way toward getting the victory. So, the question becomes, will Taylor suit up for Sunday?
"Depends on how (Thursday) goes, and (Friday)," Taylor revealed on Thursday. "Really today, today's the first, this will tell you a lot, the first full speed day."
Taylor was a full participant in Thursday's practice, moving well and showing no limitations with that right thumb. It looks like Taylor will be returning just in time to give the Colts an added boost in their quest for the playoffs.
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