Magnificent Taylor scores five TDs as Colts dominate Bills

It was the Jonathan Taylor show, starring Jonathan Taylor, written, produced and directed by Jonathan Taylor as the second-year running back exploded for a franchise-record five touchdowns to guide the Indianapolis Colts to a 41-15 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Story of the Game

Taylor thrust his way into a wide-open MVP discussion and broke clear of the injured Derrick Henry as the league’s leading rusher with 185 yards for four touchdowns off 32 carries alongside three catches for 19 yards and a score, tying Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson and Lydell Mitchell with an NFL record eight consecutive games of 100-plus scrimmage yards and one-plus rushing touchdown.

Carson Wentz, who entered the contest with a league-leading six games with a 100-plus passer rating, finished 11 of 20 for 106 yards and a 23-yard strike as he watched Indianapolis’ ground game dictate proceedings in Orchard Park.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen endured a miserable outing as he saw two interceptions converted into first and third-quarter touchdowns by Taylor, who had visited the end zone three times by half-time to give the Colts a 24-7 cushion at the break.

Taylor scored twice in the first quarter before Stefon Diggs halved the visitors’ lead when he linked up with Allen on a perfectly-timed RedZone combination for what would prove a rare moment of quality on offense from the home side.

From there it was all Colts, two more touchdowns runs from a rampant Taylor lifting Indianapolis to a 38-7 advantage heading into the fourth to put the game out of reach.

Stats leaders

Colts

Passing: Carson Wentz, 11/20, 106 yards, 1 TD Rushing: Jonathan Taylor, 32 carries, 185 yards, 4 TDsReceiving: Jack Doyle, three catches, 30 yards

Bills

Passing: Josh Allen, 21/35, 209 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTsRushing: Matt Breida, five carries, 51 yards Receiving: Dawson Knox, six catches, 80 yardsStefon Diggs, four catches, 23 yards, 2 TDs

Scoring Summary

Key Plays

Taylor strolled to a three-yard touchdown run behind Jack Doyle’s bulldozing block to make it the fourth straight game that the Colts had found the end zone in their opening drive, which had featured a 19-yard catch from Michael Pittman Jr. and two 10-yard games from their star running back.

Indianapolis capitalised on a misread from Allen on the following possession when safety George Odum undercut a pass telegraphed to Gabriel Davis for an interception on third-and-18. Taylor became beneficiary for his second score of the day, hauling in Wentz’s pass before side-stepping a defender and powering his way over for a 23-yard touchdown reception.

Allen then escaped a second interception when Odum dived for an underthrown pass in the direction of Diggs in the end zone only for replays to show the ball was down. The Bills quarterback took advantage of the let off by eventually capping an 11-play, 73-yard drive with a beautifully-timed six-yard strike to Diggs, who evaded Rock Ya-Sin with a slick comeback route while keeping his feet in-bounds to complete the catch.

Michael Badgley kicked a 36-yard field goal just shy of the two-minute warning, before Taylor punished another turnover with a two-yard touchdown run to make it 24-7 at the interval after T.J. Carrie had recovered Isaiah McKenzie’s fumble on the kickoff return.

To make matters worse, Tyler Bass missed his 57-yard field goal attempt in the final action of the half. And missed again from 49 yards mid-way through the third after the Bills had forced the Colts’ first punt of the game.

Taylor shimmied in for a 10-yard touchdown set up by his 40-yard burst to dampen an already-tiring Bills defense, and picked up his fifth shortly after when he ran in from a yard out after Kenny Moore II had collected Xavier Rhodes’ ricochet for Allen’s second pick of the game.

Diggs snuck in for a nine-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter followed by Allen’s run for the two-point conversion, though it proved a mere consolation as Badgley kicked a 35-yard field goal before linebacker Zaire Franklin intercepted Mitchell Trubisky after he had taken over at quarterback for the Bills with the game decided.

What’s Next?

The Colts host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12, while Bills are set to visit the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night.

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