Up 26-3 late in the third quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Indianapolis Colts elected to send running back Ameer Abdullah in to rush the football over starting back Jonathan Taylor. After a big game, why did Taylor get the backseat? Here’s everything we know about Taylor’s status.
What Happened to Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor?
There’s nothing wrong with Taylor. In fact, he’s been running all over the Raiders in Week 5. He was receiving some much-needed rest after turning 15 carries into 57 yards and two touchdowns. He caught three passes for 20 yards as well.
With the game firmly out of reach and the Colts getting the ball back fairly quickly due to a Mekhi Blackmon interception, Indianapolis gave Abdullah a couple of touches, which he turned into a touchdown to take a 32-3 lead.
JONATHAN TUDDY TAYLOR ‼️
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/Z17wdbj6S6
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) October 5, 2025
While it seemed like he was going to get an extended rest, Taylor came in after the Raiders failed to get ten yards on the following drive and scored another six-yard touchdown, along with punching in the ensuing two-point conversion, as the Colts dealt with the injury to kicker Spencer Shrader. The touchdowns gave Taylor a Week 5 hat trick as he continues to dominate the league.
Taylor leads the league in rushing yards, galloping for 414 yards through the season’s first four weeks. This included a monster Week 2 performance against the Denver Broncos, where he ran for 165 yards, and his other 2025 hat trick against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3. He is now tied with Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for the most touchdowns on the season at seven.
The Colts have a massive 40-3 lead over the Raiders heading into the fourth quarter of Week 5. While he’s not injured, the Colts are likely to take the foot off the gas pedal a bit and preserve the overall health of their RB1. Expect quite a few more touches for Abdullah as the Colts cruise to a surprising 4-1 start on the backs of Taylor and QB Daniel Jones.
Taylor’s numbers would be even more gaudy if his 53-yard touchdown had not been called back due to an Adonai Mitchell holding penalty. However, his hot start is another reminder of Taylor’s dominance since entering the league.
After shortened 2022 and 2023 campaigns, Taylor bounced back in 2024, rushing for 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s picked back up this season from where he left off in 2024, and that’s great for a Colts team that is surging.
