With a TD hat-trick in three straight games against Titans, Taylor makes history

INDIANAPOLIS — Jonathan Taylor is just seeing things differently on the field this season.

He's finding holes more quickly, hitting them harder and firing off one long run after another. On Sunday, that game-changing combination helped the 2021 NFL rushing champ make history.

The former Wisconsin star, who was once overlooked by college recruiters because he played at a small New Jersey high school, became the first player in league history to score three touchdowns in three straight games against the same team. His victim: The Tennessee Titans.

"There's been some legends, some great players to come through this organization. To be mentioned with them, it means a lot," Taylor said after Indianapolis beat Tennessee 38-14. "You want to be that stepping stone for the next guy in the next generation to come and surpass you. But to be able to have a blueprint, it's really special."

Taylor certainly is putting his imprint on the 2025 season.

The league's top rusher needed only 12 carries to produce 153 yards, giving him 850 yards in eight games. He had TD runs of 18 and 80 yards, before Daniel Jones flipped him the ball in the backfield and he turned it into a 19-yard score, officially a TD catch. That pushed his league-leading total to 14 TDs this season. The league record of 31 belongs to LaDainian Tomlinson.

Taylor also rushed for three scores against Tennessee in their first matchup this season, in September, and in their second meeting last season. Indy has won four straight and has the league's best record at 7-1, thanks in large part to Taylor.

"We've got to stop the run," Titans interim coach Mike McCoy said. "It's simple. We came in against a team we knew was going to run the ball, we had missed opportunities, broken coverages, and Taylor made us pay."

Taylor's not just excelling against the Titans, who are currently 1-7.

He has four 100-yard games this season and has three TD runs in a franchise-record three games. With 63 career touchdown runs, he's tied with Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for second in franchise history and just one behind Hall of Famer Edgerrin James, who has helped fuel Taylor's success.

"The No 1 thing he's been telling me is about how he came in every single day and just went to work," Taylor said. "You have to be dependable. Your teammates need to be able to rely on you. You want to be that back they can depend on. Whether it's a big play, or you just need a yard, I'm focused on how I can inject myself into every situation that helps us get the job done."

Taylor has been more than dependable through the years. When healthy, he's been Indy's cornerstone, the one player who has helped it win, despite constant changes at quarterback.

This season — with Jones providing stability at QB — Taylor has taken it to a different level. He's averaging 5.9 yards per carry and is increasingly hearing Colts fans chanting "M-V-P!"

"He's rolling, he's setting up blocks," coach Shane Steichen said. "I think he puts in the work, I think he's a guy that guys are always pulling for, always (creating) positive energy, positive juice in that locker room and on the practice field."

The only question is whether he can keep it up over the final nine games. Taylor, though, doesn't intend to slow down.

"(Being 7-1) puts a bigger target on our back, which we understand and accept," he said. "We're going to get every (team's) best shot. It's only going to get harder from here."

Agencies via Xinhua