How Colts RB Jonathan Taylor became the most dangerous player in the NFL

Eight weeks into the season, Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in rushing yards, total scrimmage yards and touchdowns. Taylor’s 14 touchdowns are just two shy of Saquon Barkley’s total all of last season when he won Offensive Player of the Year. With a little help from head coach Shane Steichen and the offensive line, Taylor has returned to form as one of the league’s most explosive skill players.

Steichen has unleashed Taylor against second-level defenders with motion and eye candy, both before and after the snap. Taylor has taken all of those opportunities and — quite literally — run away with them to the tune of 850 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns on almost 6 yards per tote.

So let’s dig into how the Colts have enabled Taylor to be his best self again.

The first play in the video above takes a step back to Week 7 against the Chargers. Taylor kicked off the scoring in that game with a 23-yard touchdown run — a play in which Steichen’s ability to move second-level defenders out of the way for Taylor was on full display.

For the second play, we’ll jump forward to Week 8 against the Titans — Taylor’s 12-carry, 153-yard performance. Just like in the last play, the Colts motion a receiver across the line of scrimmage, but this time we’re going to get another player cutting back across the other way of the snap to create some conflict.

Finally, Taylor ripped off an 80-yarder against the Titans — a result that was equal parts pre-snap movement, some blocking scheme adjustments and Taylor’s unique top gear as a runner.

Taylor’s season is a microcosm of stellar offensive line play, prime play calling, and just all-around good football. He’s on a scoring pace that we’ve hardly seen since the turn of the century — a time when some of the greats like Priest Holmes, Shaun Alexander and LaDanian Tomlinson took turns breaking or tying the rushing touchdown record year after year. The record is a long way away, but it’s tantalizing to think of how many more times we might see Taylor trotting into the end zone by season’s end.