If there’s an emphasis for the Indianapolis Colts’ offense heading into Week 3, it needs to be getting Jonathan Taylor some early touches and, in general, finding a way to get the run game going.
In part last week, it’s because the Packers’ dominated the time of possession for much of the game, but despite Taylor having 103 rushing yards on nearly 9.0 yards per rush, he had only 12 carries through three quarters.
Yes, the Colts were trailing the entire game, and that was part of the lack of touches, but it was never more than a two-score deficit. Down 10-0 coming out of halftime, running the ball–especially with the success Taylor was having–should still be a part of the offense at that time.
Having a steady run game to lean on does wonders for the rest of the offense. For one, it can help extend drives, which the Colts have had trouble doing through two games.
On top of that, success creates short down-and-distance situations, which forces the defense to defend the entire field and can open up opportunities in the pass game.
Also, and not to be forgotten, the combination of Taylor and Anthony Richardson in the backfield can be a real stressor for opponents, but the Colts haven’t been able to unlock that potential as of yet.
Through two weeks, the Chicago Bears’ run defense ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of yards per rush allowed at 4.5 and 13th in total rushing yards per game with 107.
It’s been brought up a lot this week, how Richardson needs more help around him–well, a strong run game can do a lot of the heavy lifting and be a quarterback’s best friend.