Colts running back Jonathan Taylor joined the short list of players who have scored five touchdowns in a single game during Sunday’s 41-15 rout of the Bills
Taylor now leads the NFL in touchdowns for the season and he also broke a tie with Derrick Henry for the league’s rushing lead without anyone else close to him as we head toward Thanksgiving. It’s a point the league calendar when thoughts start to turn to the postseason, including which player will be winning awards a few nights before the Super Bowl.
Taylor’s fellow running back Nyheim Hines and Colts linebacker Darius Leonard think that Taylor should be a candidate for the biggest individual prize of them all.
“He’s sending a message to the league,” Hines said, via Mike Wells of ESPN.com. “It’s been amazing watching him play. Great to watch him finish runs and make people miss. He’s a complete back . . . If there’s any skill position [for MVP], Jonathan Taylor needs to be in it. Him and Cooper Kupp. JT is the first in line for a non-quarterback player.”
According to the NFL, Taylor is the third player -- Clinton Portis and Gale Sayers are the others -- under 23 to score five touchdowns in a game and the third player -- LaDainian Tomlinson and Lydell Mitchell are the others -- with at least 100 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in eight consecutive games. He’s also joined Tomlinson, Portis, and Adrian Peterson as the only players with more than 1,000 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in their first two seasons.
If he keeps doing things that put him in that kind of company, Hines is likely to have company on the Taylor for MVP train.