National Football League

Colts star Jonathan Taylor smashes records with career performance vs. Bills' top-ranked defense

Updated Nov. 21, 2021 7:14 p.m. ET

During Indianapolis' Sunday afternoon contest against the Buffalo Bills, running back Jonathan Taylor became the fastest to amass 1,000 rushing yards in a season in Colts history.

And that's not even the story of the day.

Taylor's performance in the 41-15 rout was incomparable.

The Bills' top-flight defense entered the game having allowed the fewest points in the NFL (135) and ranked third against the run (755 yards allowed). But Taylor torched them for 185 yards on 32 carries and scored four touchdowns. He added another score in the passing game, bringing his total on the day to five.

Whew.

Taylor, who now leads the league in rushing (1,122 yards) and is the first player to reach the 1,000-yard threshold thus far (Derrick Henry had 937 yards by Week 9, but was then sidelined with a broken foot), broke a litany of records in the dazzling performance.

He's now the first player to rack up 175-plus rushing yards, four-plus rushing touchdowns and at least one receiving TD in a single game. Taylor is also the first Colts player with five total TDs in a game.

The former Wisconsin Badger, who ranks sixth all-time in rushing yards among NCAA D-I backs, has now recorded 100-plus yards from scrimmage and at least one rushing touchdown in eight straight games. That ties the longest such streak in NFL history (Lydell Mitchell, 1975/1976; LaDainian Tomlinson, 2006).

Should he find a way to the end zone next week, he'll etch his name into the NFL's history books as the first player to score a TD in nine straight affairs since Shaun Alexander in 2005.

"The offensive line and I prepared tremendously throughout the week," Taylor said following the pinnacle performance of his career.

"We knew it was going to be a tough challenge," he said with regards to the Bills' defense.

"We had to accept that challenge. I think the key to [our consistency] has been the communication between the offensive line and myself. It doesn't matter what pressure the defensive front brings, as long as we're all in communication, and on the same page, we can accomplish anything."

That belief appears to be contagious, and his squad seems all the better because of his weekly dominance. Indy is now 6-0 when Taylor rushes for 100-plus yards this season (he's done so in four of his last five outings).

The Colts have also scored 30-plus points in five of their last six games, averaging 33.5 PPG through that stretch (5-1 record).

Indy is now 6-5 and has a great chance to capture a wild card slot should it continue its winning ways.

The team's latest showing could be a vehement statement of playoff readiness, especially if the Colts' undisputed centerpiece stays hot.

Winning is Taylor's greatest pursuit, and though individual awards might not be at the forefront of his mind, he's currently crafting up a wondrous MVP recipe as his team continues to win games.