Coming into Week 12, a lot was riding on Jonathan Taylor, who was having a great season. However, thanks to a tight defense from the Chiefs, the RB had barely had any space to run. From the start of the fourth quarter, they went away from Taylor as per HC Shane Steichen. The HC’s action raised questions about trust. Ultimately, it was the RB who answered.

“I have confidence at the end of the day we have to make the plays go,” said Taylor post-match. “So receivers have to be in their right spots. We have to give Daniel [Jones] time. Daniel has delivered about like it’s a cumulation of everything that goes into each play. And we trust Shane [Steichen]. So we have to make these plays happen.”

It is clear from Taylor’s answer that he trusts Shane and his ways. At the end of the overtime, the Colts were left stunned, even though they had an 11-point cushion at one stage. Rather than riding Taylor and the ground game, Steichen shifted the burden onto Daniel Jones. But the gamble never paid off. Jones went just 8 of 18 for 83 yards after halftime.

Jonathan Taylor’s average was only 3.6 yards per rush, which is one of his worst performances this season. He recorded 16 carries for 58 yards and 2 catches for 8 yards. His best dash came in the third quarter, when he ran for 27 yards. If it were to be taken out, then his average would drop to 2.1 yards in 15 carries.

He failed to repeat his performance from Week 10. Jonathan Taylor’s outing in Kansas City looked nothing like the explosion he delivered in Week 10. Against the Falcons, Taylor bulldozed his way to 244 yards on 32 carries with three touchdowns, single-handedly carrying the Colts offense. This time, he never found that rhythm.

The RB’s game was read pretty well by the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo. Steichen had to shift to air plays, trying to take advantage of the Chiefs. Unfortunately, it was not fruitful either. The stalling did not help them. Their last four drives saw them punting the ball after going 3 and out. However, the HC was quick to take blame amid speculations about a communication gap with Taylor.

Yet even as the HC defended their trust, Jonathan Taylor faces a new challenge. His Week 12 setback has pushed him a step back in the race for the Offensive Player of the Year title.

Jonathan Taylor may miss out on the Offensive Player of the Year title

After Jonathan Taylor dropped a career-high performance against the Atlanta Falcons, everyone started to consider him as a potential candidate for the Offensive Player of the Year. However, fast-forwarding to Week 12, the picture has not held up.

Jahmyr Gibbs and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are also favorites to win the prestigious title. The former recorded 15 carries for 219 yards and two TDs, and 11 receptions for 45 yards and one TD in Week 12. Jaxon made 8 receptions for 167 yards and two TDs. With such massive performances, the race for the Offensive Player of the Year has become pretty close.

Surely, the Colts’ RB would like to forget his performance and move on to the next fixture soon. He will look to redeem himself in the next match. The Colts go up against the Houston Texans in Week 13. All eyes will be on the RB, who will try to change the narrative about him. After being vocal, he would like to back his words on the field and make everyone reconsider him as a serious MVP candidate.