Jonathan Taylor is set to be on the field Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Colts aren’t planning to ease off his workload any more than they already have.
That was the word from head coach Shane Steichen, who said Taylor will play in Week 8 and will not be limited in reps. Rookie Seth McGowan has picked up a few more opportunities as the season has gone on, but not enough to chip away at Taylor’s place as the centerpiece of Indianapolis’ ground game.
The same goes for Josh Downs, who is also expected to suit up. His situation, though, carries a different kind of tension. Downs has asked for a trade after seeing left guard Quenton Nelson and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner leave in similar fashion, and his future with the team looks far less secure than Taylor’s.
Taylor, by contrast, looks like part of the Colts’ long-term plan. He was extended before the season, and Indianapolis has no real incentive to move him. If the Colts can beat Jacksonville in Jacksonville for the first time since 2014, Taylor would almost certainly be a big reason why.
Downs is in a much more uncertain spot. He’s set for free agency next year, and if he remains with the Colts beyond the trade deadline on November 10, he’ll likely head elsewhere when the season ends. With Alec Pierce out for most of the year so far, Downs hasn’t had the chance to fully seize a starring role in the passing game.
He’s been steady, but not explosive. Downs has caught 56.5 percent of his targets, which is a career low, and he’s averaging 3.7 catches per game, the second-lowest mark of his career. The production has been solid, but not the kind that would turn him into the clear focal point of the offense.
Week 8 gives him another chance to change that. It also gives Taylor another chance to carry the Colts, even if the odds of an upset in Jacksonville don’t look especially strong.
In Other News...
Colts Ugly Jaguars Loss Just Put Everyone On Notice
The collapse in Jacksonville left the Colts in a familiar but increasingly uncomfortable spot, staring at a 42-7 defeat that extended the losing streak to four and turned a rough stretch into something much harder to ignore. What stood out most was not just the score, but the way the game looked from start to finish, with the Jaguars in control and Indianapolis never finding much of a response.
Shane Steichens postgame tone suggested this is no longer about one bad afternoon or one isolated phase of play. The coaching staff is now looking at every part of the roster, and the latest quarterback wrinkle only added to the unease around the team. With questions already swirling about possible changes, the Colts have reached a point where even routine decisions suddenly feel like part of a much bigger reckoning. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Ugly Loss Just Made One Trade Deadline Question Even Bigger
The Colts 42-7 loss to Jacksonville only sharpened the questions around a team already trying to sort out its future at 2-6. Indianapolis has been leaning on younger players like DJ Giddens as trade chatter continues to follow Jonathan Taylor, but the wider issue after a lopsided defeat was how much more turbulence the roster could absorb.
Josh Downs added another layer to that uncertainty with four catches for 23 yards and the Colts only touchdown, then was not in the locker room afterward amid reports of a public trade request. The team had still not heard from him after the game, and for a Colts offense already searching for answers, that makes the deadline conversation feel even bigger than it did before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Richardson Just Put Colts Fans Face To Face With Reality
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Richardsons brief appearance offered a small glimpse of what Indianapolis has been trying to sort through at the position. He completed both of his passes and ran twice, while Jones struggled through a rough outing with two interceptions and three sacks. The Colts are left with the same uncomfortable question they have been circling, only now it comes with the added reality of Richardsons own path back to playing at all. [Read more 🡒]