A big injury hit the AFC South on Tuesday when Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said running back Jonathan Taylor will miss a few weeks after he undergoes thumb surgery. The Colts are currently second in the division with a 6-5 record but hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Houston Texans, who also sit at 6-5.
While Taylor is expected to return in time for the Week 18 rematch between the Colts and Texans, his absence could affect Indianapolis’ ability to win games in the immediate future and therefore potentially aid Houston’s playoff push. Taylor will likely miss at least two of the Colts’ next three matchups against the Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Indianapolis is 4-3 since Taylor’s return in Week 5 but is on a three-game win streak in November. During that stretch, Taylor rushed for 205 yards and three touchdowns with a 3.7 yards per rush average. Not gaudy numbers by any stretch, but certainly helpful for the Colts’ playoff push.
The Colts will once again lean on Zach Moss without Taylor. Oddly enough, Moss was actually better than Taylor during his five starts. Indianapolis went 3-2 with Moss as the starting running back where he ran for 466 yards and four touchdowns with a 4.85 yards per carry average and added 14 receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. Moss rushed for 88 yards on 18 carries and a score in the Week 2 win over the Texans.
The loss of Taylor could shake up the Colts’ quiet playoff push, though, and that would be to the benefit of the Texans.
While the division is likely out of reach baring a breakdown by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the wildcard is in play. Houston is currently on the outside looking in of the wildcard, with Indianapolis ahead for the seventh seed. The New York Times actually gives the Texans a 61 percent chance to make the postseason – a better probability than the Colts. And while the Titans and Bengals aren’t really playing for much at this point in the season, the Steelers game looks to be incredibly important for the AFC playoff picture in Week 15.
We’ll see how important the loss of Taylor is this week.