INDIANAPOLIS – Simply put, Jonathan Taylor was a healthy scratch in the fourth quarter Sunday at Lambeau Field.
The Indianapolis Colts, trailing Green Bay 13-3 with 15 minutes remaining, ran 22 plays: 18 Anthony Richardson passes, two Richardson scrambles and two Trey Sermon rushes.
Taylor watched every single one from the sideline.
Given time to reconsider the non-Taylor approach in what still was a winnable game, coach Shane Steichen had no regrets.
“We were throwing the football and we weren’t really scheming up passes for the running backs there in the fourth quarter,’’ he said Monday afternoon.
That came after the Colts’ $42 million running back had rushed for 103 yards on 12 carries – his fewest attempts on 17 career 100-yard games – and added 32 yards on two receptions. After three quarters, Taylor had accounted for 65.7% of the 204 total yards.
And that after he kick-started a late third-quarter possession with an 18-yard catch-and-run from Richardson – yes, he fumbled at the end of it and was saved the turnover when Ashton Dulin slapped the football out of bounds – and a 29-yard run that gave the Colts a first-and-10 at the Packers 37.
On second-and-2 on the final play of the period, Taylor had a 1-yard run and trotted to the sidelines.
For the remainder of the game.
On the critical third-and-1, Trey Sermon joined Richardson in the backfield and was swallowed up for a 4-yard loss on a speed-option to the left. Linebacker Eric Wilson first took away a keeper-option by Richardson, then flowed outside to deny Sermon.
Steichen planned on re-inserting Taylor had there been a fourth-and-very-short situation, but the big loss blew that up.
“Whether Trey was in there or JT, they did a good job on that play,’’ Steichen said. “It starts with me. It wasn’t a good play and we lost yards.’’
Matt Gay compounded things by pulling a 50-yard field-goal attempt wide left.
It remains to be seen whether the Colts have a kicking problem.
Since opening last season by converting 16-of-18 attempts, Gay is 19-of-28 (67.9%), which includes a 1-3 preseason. He knocked down a 34-yarder against the Packers, but his three preseason misses and the 50-yarder on Sunday all drifted wide left.
Gay had hernia surgery in late August but obviously was cleared to kick.
Is Steichen concerned?
“I have confidence in Matt,’’ he said. “And he knows he’s got to make those kicks. We’ve gotta get that cleared up for sure.’’
And it could be argued the Colts need to figure out how best to maximize Taylor.
The league’s 2021 rushing champion routinely is on the field for roughly 65-75% of the offensive snaps. In ’21, he topped 69% in each of the last 11 games.
In the season opener against Houston, Taylor handled 43-of-45 snaps (98%).
At Green Bay, one of the Colts’ true playmakers was on the field 52% of the time (29-of-56 snaps).
There’s no question Taylor isn’t an accomplished pass blocker. And catching the football isn’t a strong suit. He dropped two passes Sunday – one on third-and-7 on the opening drive, the other on fourth-and-4 on the first possession of the second half – although it’s debatable a completion on either would have moved the chains.
After the game, Taylor told reporters he had room to grow in the pass game.
“Oh, 100%,’’ he said. “Eliminating drops. Of course, that’ll definitely help.’’
However, he’s frequently been a big-play presence in the pass game. In his first four seasons, Taylor’s been targeted 153 times and averaged 7.8 yards on 123 receptions. Twelve of his catches gained at least 20 yards, including TDs of 76, 23 and 39 yards.
Steichen was asked whether Taylor’s fourth-quarter absence was a pass-protection issue.
“No, not necessarily,’’ he said. “We wanted to give Trey some reps. That was it.’’
Perhaps, but the truth of the matter is the Colts went away from one of their best players. They had nine plays that gained at least 16 yards. Taylor accounted for five of them.
Even in an up-tempo, pass-heavy mode because of the fourth-quarter deficit, Taylor would have presented a big-play threat, perhaps getting loose for a long run against Green Bay’s softer defense.
As center Ryan Kelly said Monday, “he’s the best back in the league.’’
Injury update
Steichen was unable to offer much of an update on defensive end DeForest Buckner (ankle) or rookie defensive end Laiatu Latu.
X-rays on Buckner’s right ankle were negative, but he suffered a sprain that certainly puts his availability for Sunday’s meeting with Chicago in doubt. The defense might be without Buckner for multiple games.
Latu suffered a hip injury against the Packers.
“We’ll see on Latu’s hip this week as it goes,’’ Steichen said.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.