The Indianapolis Colts doubled down on their decision to bench star running back Jonathan Taylor during the final quarter of the Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
After taking 12 carries for 103 yards during the first three quarters of the game, Taylor was shockingly standing on the sidelines as the Colts tried to mount a 13-point comeback.
Taylor closed out the third quarter with a 29-yard run with just over a minute remaining and a one-yard run on second-and-two as the quarter ended.
Facing a crucial third-and-one play and a 16-3 deficit to open the fourth quarter, Taylor was on the sideline in favor of Trey Sermon.
The Colts called for an option to the left, which was stopped immediately for a four-yard loss. Matt Gay then missed a 50-yard field-goal attempt.
Head coach Shane Steichen was asked Monday why the Colts kept their best skill player on the bench at such a crucial point in the game.
"I think in that fourth quarter, we were throwing the football and we don't – we weren't really scheming up passes for the running backs there in the fourth quarter when we were throwing it. So, we had Trey (Sermon) in there, and I thought he did a good job. I think we only ran it twice," Steichen said.
Steichen denied the notion that Taylor was benched due to pass protection concerns, an area he's struggled in during his career.
Had the Colts not lost four yards on third down, Steichen said Taylor would have been in the game.
“We were going to put him in on the fourth down play and I think whether Trey was in there or JT, they did a good job on that play. And that starts with me. I mean, it wasn't a good play and we lost yards," Steichen said.
It was one of Steichen's worst calls of the game, but to not have Taylor on the field at all throughout the fourth quarter is still a baffling decision.
Not even the threat of his presence to load the box was there for the Packers to consider, which theoretically would help open the lanes for Anthony Richardson to throw the ball.
If it's not a pass protection issue as Steichen said, then Taylor should at least be on the field.
The Colts came away with a brutal loss on the road to fall to 0-2, and the explanation for keeping a star player on the bench during the final quarter remains a bit baffling.
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