Carson Wentz

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are back on track.

Tampa Bay defeated the Indianapolis Colts 38-31 in Sunday's matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium. Leonard Fournette was dominant throughout the game and put the finishing touches on the comeback win with a 28-yard touchdown run with 20 seconds remaining.

The victors improved to 8-3 on the season with a second straight win as they continue to bounce back from a brief two-game losing streak.

HAVE YOURSELF A DAY LEONARD FOURNETTE 😳

4 TDs for the Bucs RB

(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/5tp41r28bX

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 28, 2021

Carson Wentz threw three touchdowns in defeat for the Colts, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end as they fell to 6-6 on the campaign.

They had an opportunity to force overtime after Isaiah Rodgers' long kickoff return following Fournette's touchdown, but Wentz's final heave was intercepted.

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Notable Player Stats

• Tom Brady, QB, TB: 25-of-34 passing for 226 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
• Leonard Fournette, RB, TB: 17 carries for 100 yards, 3 TDs; 7 catches for 31 yards, 1 TD
• Rob Gronkowski, TE, TB: 7 catches for 123 yards
• Carson Wentz, QB, IND: 27-of-44 passing for 306 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
• Jonathan Taylor, RB, IND: 16 carries for 83 yards, 1 TD; 4 catches for 14 yards
• Jack Doyle, TE, IND: 6 catches for 81 yards, 1 TD

---

Leonard Fournette Steals the Show

It's essentially blasphemous to question Tom Brady, but the all-time great was at least under the spotlight coming into Sunday's game considering he threw a combined five interceptions in the past three contests.

Sunday's start didn't do much to quiet any potential lingering concern as the offense struggled with third downs and turned it over twice on a Chris Godwin fumble and another interception by Brady, this time to Isaiah Rodgers.

The halftime deficit would have been much worse than 10 points if it were not for Fournette, who found the end zone twice before intermission. One came on a reception, while his rushing touchdown happened after the Buccaneers defense gave their offense a short field by recovering a fumble.

Regular season Lenny back at it again 👏

📺: #TBvsIND on FOX pic.twitter.com/1vt0748xnv

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 28, 2021

Make that ✌️

📺: #TBvsIND on FOX pic.twitter.com/rG6q1mgeVD

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 28, 2021

.@_fournette with the hat trick 🙌

📺: #TBvsIND on FOX pic.twitter.com/oXKqMpIZ7u

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 28, 2021

.@rojo up the gut for 6️⃣

📺: #TBvsIND on FOX pic.twitter.com/HIIKI6On4i

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 28, 2021

Having a vintage Gronk day. #GoBucs @RobGronkowski

📺: #TBvsIND on FOX
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/v677GlbZCG

— NFL (@NFL) November 28, 2021

It was more of the same in the second half.

Fournette scored again on Tampa Bay's first possession after halftime following a long pass interference, and Ronald Jones II found the end zone after an interception. The Buccaneers also added a field goal after Nyheim Hines muffed a punt and were back in control by the fourth quarter even with Brady having a relatively quiet performance by his standards.

Indianapolis battled back to tie it but left far too much time for Brady to direct a winning drive. It appeared he did just that when he moved the Buccaneers into field-goal range, but Fournette had other ideas.

He broke through the line of scrimmage all the way to the end zone instead of simply settling for a field goal and was the best running back in a game that also featured Jonathan Taylor.

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Wentz Electric in 1st Half, Turnover Machine in 2nd Half

The Colts are back in playoff contention despite a 1-4 start thanks in large part to Taylor's individual dominance.

The running back has taken over game after game with more than 100 rushing yards in six of the previous eight contests, including when he exploded for five touchdowns in a win over the Buffalo Bills. He figured to be a central part of the game plan Sunday so the Colts could have long, extended drives and keep Brady off the field.

Instead, Tampa Bay bottled Taylor up, but the Colts still seized a 24-14 halftime lead thanks to three touchdown passes from Wentz.

Doyle Rules. 🙌

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/mBUTeUAhnl

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 28, 2021

_0_ \0/ _0_ \0/

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/jYc1kwla39

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 28, 2021

There it is.

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/h29uGjk9HG

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 28, 2021

.@ShaquilBarrett with the strip sack & recovery ‼️

📺: #TBvsIND on FOX pic.twitter.com/qaALZrKsa6

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 28, 2021

WHAT. A. PICK. 🤯

📺: #TBvsIND on FOX pic.twitter.com/UfDrsrPRKB

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 28, 2021

Jack Doyle, Ashton Dulin and T.Y. Hilton caught the scores as the quarterback spread the ball around and took advantage of crowded boxes at times as the Buccaneers looked to slow the superstar running back after his recent stretch.

And then the second half started.

The game started to slip away when Wentz lost a fumble on a strip-sack by Shaquil Barrett and threw a pick to Antoine Winfield Jr. Throw in Hines' muffed punt, and it seemed like the Colts were in complete meltdown mode.

Indianapolis needed a spark down seven in the fourth quarter, so it turned to Taylor just in time. He carried the ball on eight of the Colts' 10 plays during a game-tying touchdown drive, including the final one that found paydirt.

Still, it wasn't enough as the defense allowed Fournette's touchdown run and Wentz fittingly threw an interception to Pierre Desir to end the game. It was his third turnover in a half that saw the Colts outscored 24-7.       

---

What's Next?

Both teams are on the road in Week 13 when the Buccaneers face the Atlanta Falcons and the Colts play the Houston Texans.

The first-ever midseason edition of HBO's Hard Knocks premiered Wednesday, with the series taking a look at the Indianapolis Colts.

This edition picked up after the Colts moved to 4-5 following their 45-30 win over the New York Jets on Nov. 4.

The episode opened with a recap of how the Colts got here, with highlights including running back Jonathan Taylor's excellent season and lowlights such as Indianapolis' blown leads against the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans.

The biggest focus of the first episode was on quarterback Carson Wentz and linebacker Darius Leonard.

Head coach Frank Reich talking about the connection he and Wentz have had since the 2016 predraft process, when Reich was the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator.

The two men bonded over their Christian faith and specifically a Bible verse, 1 Peter 3:15. Reich recited it to Wentz during a predraft meeting, and the former North Dakota State star happened to have it on his cellphone screensaver.

Reich became the Colts' coach in 2018 and took Wentz along with him in 2021 after the Eagles decided to make Jalen Hurts their QB1.

Elsewhere, Wentz and his wife, Madison, welcomed their second daughter (Hudson Rose). NFL Films caught up with the couple and their first daughter, Hadley, at home in the days leading up to the team's Sunday matchup at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As noted in news reports last week and again during Hard Knocks, the plan was for Wentz to play against the Jags even if the baby was born Sunday. She was not, and Hudson was born Tuesday after induced labor.

Seven Colt players were expecting children at the time, and that doesn't include punter Rigoberto Sanchez, whose wife Cynthia gave birth recently.

This episode also featured a pair of gender reveals, as center Ryan Kelly with wife Emma and guard Mark Glowinski with wife Alexis had theirs on the Lucas Oil Stadium field. The Jumbotron above the field revealed that both couples would be having girls.

Whole lotta Colts are getting ready to have kids, and a whole bunch of the babies are girls. Fun gender reveal for the Kellys and the Glowinskis at Lucas Oil

— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) November 18, 2021

Nyheim Hines also got to meet his idol, Tavon Austin, who he used to watch play at West Virginia. The amusing clip featured Hines attempting to figure out if it was truly Austin, explaining how he always watched his highlights and then meeting his fellow offensive playmaker:

Nyheim Hines meeting his idol Tavon Austin is the most wholesome thing you'll see today. 🤗 #HardKnocks In Season with the @Colts is streaming now on @HBOMax pic.twitter.com/RfZGyBFnnT

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) November 18, 2021

This episode also took a look at the heart and soul of the Colts defense (and team) in Leonard, who was shown arriving at the facility:

A ride fit for a Maniac 🚗#HardKnocks | @dsleon45 pic.twitter.com/hYFHI0h729

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) November 18, 2021

Leonard got banged up during the Jags game, which naturally worried his wife, Kayla, who was at the game. Thankfully, Leonard was OK, and he was shown hanging out with Kayla and his two children postgame.

This is now a Mia stan account. 💙 #HardKnocks pic.twitter.com/aOxahwfhuw

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 18, 2021

Leonard is listed on this week's injury report with ankle and hand injuries, and he did not practice Wednesday.

However, he sounded like a player ready to roll Sunday after he told the cameras he was going to watch film of their next opponent, the Buffalo Bills, that evening.

Other highlights included team owner Jim Irsay leading the Colts in a rendition of Queen's "We Will Rock You" after their win over the San Francisco 49ers.

OK @JimIrsay leading the "We Will Rock You" chant in the locker room was worth the wait...

— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) November 18, 2021

Taylor's Fox NFL cartoon was also up for discussion.

"Y'all see how big his arms are on the cartoon?"

Don’t underestimate the size of @jayt23’s arms 😂#HardKnocks In Season with the @Colts premieres tonight 10pm on @hbomax pic.twitter.com/mfZSz5Dfhn

— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2021

This Hard Knocks series will air every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET until the week after the Colts' season is complete.

Next week's episode will feature the team's big road showdown at the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills, who took down the Colts 27-24 in the AFC Wild Card Round last year.

Fantasy football managers are faced with the difficult task of determining which players have the most favorable matchups each week.

It can be easy to make the wrong choice, though. An offensive player facing a weak defense can end up falling short of expectations, and a player who is benched because of a tough opponent can end up exceeding their projections.

So, we're here to help out. Here's some start/sit advice to hopefully help you take advantage of the best matchups in Week 11.

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Start 'Em: Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

As Cam Newton emphatically told us on Sunday, he's back. And that should be a welcome sight for fantasy owners, especially ones who need a late-season upgrade at quarterback.

After a two-touchdown performance in his first game this season, the 32-year-old should be a top waiver priority in all formats as he's a strong starting option for the Carolina Panthers against the Washington Football Team.

He is expected to start as he will reportedly be taking first-team reps in practice this week.

Newton and the Panthers will be up against the 27th-ranked defense in the NFL, so there will be ample opportunities for him to get going both through the air and on the ground. Washington has also lost defensive end Chase Young to a torn ACL.

With a full week of practice under his belt, Newton will be more comfortable in the Carolina offense and develop a better rapport with Christian McCaffrey, DJ Moore and Robby Anderson.

The stars are aligned for the veteran quarterback to come close to his old form as a fantasy stud on Sunday.

---

Sit 'Em: Carson Wentz, QB and Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are in for a tough time this week against the Buffalo Bills, which have the No. 1 defense in the NFL. So, it would be wise to avoid Indianapolis quarterback Carson Wentz.

The 28-year-old failed to take advantage of a weak Jacksonville Jaguars defense on Sunday, amassing just 180 yards with no touchdowns. And it's unlikely things will get better against a team allowing just 190.2 passing yards and 15.0 points per game.

With Wentz expected to struggle against Buffalo, it would be best to bench Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. for this week.

It might be a surprise that a wideout with 55 receptions for 729 yards and five touchdowns is a candidate to sit this week, but it might be a necessity.

Despite his status as the focal point of Indianapolis' passing attack, the 24-year-old has had five targets or less in three of his last five games. He will likely be lined up against the Bills' Pro Bowl cornerback, Tre'Davious White, for the majority of Sunday's game.

Owners who can afford to sit Pittman should do so and ride a receiver with a better matchup.

---

Start 'Em: AJ Dillon, RB, Green Bay Packers

The Packers will be without its workhorse running back on Sunday as Aaron Jones is sidelined with a sprained MCL. While he is out, AJ Dillon will be called upon to fill his role.

After Jones was forced to exit last week's game against the Seattle Seahawks, Dillon stepped in and carried the ball 21 times for 66 yards and two touchdowns. He also added two catches for 62 yards.

Through 10 games, the 23-year-old has 421 rushing yards and two touchdowns as he's seen an increase in usage in his sophomore season. 

On Sunday, Dillon and the Packers will be facing the Minnesota Vikings, which rank 28th in the NFL in rushing defense after allowing an average of 130.6 yards on the ground. The running back will be in line for a ton of touches as the top option in Green Bay's backfield.

Rookie Patrick Taylor, who has spent time on the practice squad, was the only other RB besides Jones and Dillon to see any playing time last week.

Dillon will likely receive the bulk of the carries and is a must-start in Week 11.

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Sit 'Em: Adrian Peterson, RB, Tennessee Titans

We all wanted to believe in Adrian Peterson after he scored a touchdown in his first game with the Titans two weeks ago. But the veteran running back is in a shared backfield situation and quickly fell back to earth last week.

The 36-year-old managed just 21 rushing yards on eight carries against the New Orleans Saints. He was outtouched 13 to nine by D'Onta Foreman, who totaled 78 scrimmage yards.

Peterson could see some action at the goal line, which might frustrate some owners because of his boom-or-bust potential. But it looks like Foreman is set to be the featured back in Tennessee's offense going forward.

The 25-year-old will also be playing a revenge game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, so it's likely he will see a hefty workload. Peterson can remain benched for the time being.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz is focused on this week's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. So focused, in fact, that he doesn't plan on missing the game for the birth of his second child.

Wentz's wife, Madison, is quickly approaching her due date for the couple's second daughter. Wentz said the two of them discussed the possibility of the baby being born at the same time as Sunday's game, and they agreed that he should make the start regardless.

"If it comes down to the game, I told my wife 'I’m playing, and then I’ll come see you at the hospital afterwards,'" Wentz said, per USA Today. "She knew that. She’s been great. … I think God will time it up the way it’s supposed to be timed."

Wentz and the Colts (4-5) are looking to build on the momentum of last week's 45-30 victory over the New York Jets. Indianapolis has the opportunity to get back to .500 with a win over Jacksonville before a matchup against AFC powerhouse Buffalo Bills in Week 11.

The Indianapolis Colts entered Week 9 as a floundering franchise. Last week's heartbreaking loss to the rival Titans dropped them to 3-5, three games back of Tennessee with two head-to-head losses.

A return trip to the postseason appeared…unlikely.

But a lot can change over the span of a few days in the NFL. On Monday, the AFC South was turned on its head when the Titans went from prohibitive division favorites to a team that could be without its best player the rest of the way. On Thursday, the Colts pummeled an overmatched New York Jets team 45-30 to move back within a game of .500.

In a game where the title of best running back in the NFL was handed (at least temporarily) from Derrick Henry to Jonathan Taylor, the Colts showed how they can get back in not only the race for a wild-card spot but also keep the pressure on the Titans in the division.

Indy needs to turn back the clock—and dial up the run game.

For all the struggles the Colts had while losing five of their first eight games, the play of Taylor had been a bright spot. Entering Week 9, Taylor was second in the NFL (behind Henry) in rushing yards (649), yards after contact (404) and yards from scrimmage (914).

As ESPN's Mike Wells wrote, former longtime Colts lineman Jeff Saturday was already willing to put Taylor's name up there with arguably the best running back the franchise has ever had.

"I'm talking as an analyst and also a former player for the team—he is the best one since [Edgerrin James]," Jeff Saturday said. "I think what he provides is every play could go for a touchdown. Whether it's in the screen game, a checkdown, giving it to him between the tackles or outside. Every play could potentially go the house."

As it turns out, Saturday wasn't kidding about the whole "score on any play" part.

JONATHAN TAYLOR CAN’T BE STOPPED
pic.twitter.com/HgIJ03TyNI

— PFF (@PFF) November 5, 2021

That 78-yard touchdown run by Taylor blew the game wide open and marked the second time this season that the former Wisconsin star has scored from more than 75 yards out. Taylor has the two longest runs in the NFL this season.

For the game, Taylor piled up a ridiculous 172 rushing yards and two scores on just 19 carries. He added another 28 yards on two receptions. Backup running back Nyheim Hines got in on the fun too, adding 108 yards on 10 touches with a 34-yard scoring scamper of his own.

All told, the Colts ran for 260 yards Thursday, the most yards any NFL team has amassed on the ground in a game this season. As a matter of fact, as the Fox broadcast pointed out, the Colts had set a new season high for rushing yards by a team with over two minutes left in the third quarter.

That's a spicy meatball, that is.

After the game, Taylor gave the credit to his offensive line for giving him clear running lanes while speaking to Erin Andrews of Fox Sports.

"[The holes] were massive," Taylor said. "The O-line does a great job every single week of just studying film, preparing, working hard every single rep in practice in order to make this come to life on the field."

Granted, this explosion came against a Jets run defense that entered Week 9 ranked in the bottom half of the league. The offensive line in Indianapolis certainly deserves a ton of credit—Quenton Nelson and Co. opened up holes against the Jets that I could have run through.

But Taylor and the Colts run game was dominant Thursday. And when Indy plays like that, it looks the part of a team whose postseason aspirations aren't at all dead.

As Matthew VanTryon wrote in the Indy Star, during the Pat McAfee Show earlier this week, the former Colts punter did his best to sum up the maddening exercise that is watching Carson Wentz play quarterback in 2021.

"Every play is an emotional roller coaster," he said. "I respect how good he is and tough he is. His energy is awesome. It's hard to say bad things about Carson Wentz. But he could have 35 turnovers a game and I don't think he'd know it. He just moves along like nothing happens. He's a great player when he's playing well. But as soon as he starts thinking, 'This play could be the greatest play of all time,' it's a comedy of errors. ... It's a cardiac arrest."

Wentz's zero-yard pick-six in Week 8 against the Titans is the sort of thing that will give fans palpitations. But when the ground game is humming along, the Colts' new quarterback doesn't have to force throws or push the action. He can let the game come to him—in no small part because the team is left with manageable third downs.

Against the Jets, Wentz played an efficient game, completing 22 of 30 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. It marked the fifth time in the last six games that Wentz threw multiple touchdown passes without a pick.

The Colts are 4-1 in those games, and the loss came in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens.

There had already been talk of benching Wentz for the purposes of bolstering the future at the expense of the present. If the sixth-year quarterback plays 75 percent of the Colts offensive snaps in 2021, then the Philadelphia Eagles will be awarded Indy's first-round pick in 2022. If he does not, then the Eagles get the Colts' second-rounder.

Indy can't (and won't) worry about that right now. The focus needs to be on 2021, not 2022.

When the Colts play like they did in Week 9, you're reminded that this team won 11 games a year ago and gave the Bills all they could handle in the playoffs. That this team possesses one of the NFL's best offensive lines, a defense with talent at all three levels, and one of the best rushing attacks in the league.

Next week the Colts host a Jacksonville Jaguars team that may well be the worst in the NFL. Win there, and Indianapolis is 5-5 with seven to play and very much in the hunt for a wild-card spot.

Never mind that the Titans are probably going to drift back toward the pack after losing Henry. They just are. And it will probably start Sunday night against a one-loss Los Angeles Rams team.

Indy's schedule is pretty rough—after the Jaguars the Colts face the Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and post-bye dates with the New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders await.

But the Colts have quietly peeled off four wins in six games since starting the season 0-3. Wentz is settling in as the team's quarterback to the tune of 14 touchdowns against two interceptions the past six contests. And with Henry's season in doubt, it's Taylor who is the best active running back in the NFL.

So before anyone in Indianapolis starts calculating Wentz's snap counts, they need to take into consideration that the Colts are by no means out of it yet.

They can ride Jonathan Taylor and the ground game all the way to a playoff spot.

Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich was quite the fan of Carson Wentz's performance during Thursday's 45-30 win over the New York Jets.

"Carson Wentz was freaking flawless tonight," he told reporters. "Flawless."

Wentz was dialed in from the start and finished 22-of-30 passing for 272 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

The Colts scored touchdowns on all four of their first-half drives with the quarterback finding Jack Doyle and Michael Pittman Jr. for scores during that stretch. It put the Jets in comeback mode from the early going, which was a daunting task considering they were already without Zach Wilson and lost quarterback Mike White to a forearm injury in the first half.

Josh Johnson actually put up solid numbers for the Jets at 27-of-41 passing for 317 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, but much of his production came in garbage time after the outcome was essentially decided.

It was far from a one-man show on Indianapolis' side, as Wentz took advantage of a strong rushing attack that set the tone out of the gate.

Jonathan Taylor was unstoppable with 172 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, and Nyheim Hines started the scoring by bouncing to the outside for a long touchdown run in the first quarter.

Taylor in particular forced New York to devote more attention to slowing the run, which opened up the aerial attack for Wentz to take advantage.

The Colts are still just 4-5 overall but improved to 4-2 in their last six games after an abysmal start. With a winnable game against the Jacksonville Jaguars up next, they should continue their momentum and move to .500 as they look to set up a late playoff run down the stretch.

If Wentz remains "flawless," Indianapolis will likely be a factor into December.           

The Indianapolis Colts are starting to look like possible playoff contenders.

Indianapolis defeated the New York Jets 45-30 in Thursday's AFC battle at Lucas Oil Stadium. Jonathan Taylor and Carson Wentz led the way for the victors, who improved to 4-5 overall and 3-1 in their last four with the only loss in that stretch coming in overtime.

Josh Johnson was forced into the game after Mike White left with a forearm injury for the Jets, who dropped to 2-6 and were unable to win a second straight game with quarterback Zach Wilson sidelined.

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Notable Player Stats

• Carson Wentz, QB, IND: 22-of-30 passing for 272 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
• Jonathan Taylor, RB, IND: 19 carries for 172 yards, 2 TDs; 2 catches for 28 yards
• Nyheim Hines, RB, IND: 6 carries for 74 yards, 1 TD; 4 catches for 34 yards
• Josh Johnson, QB, NYJ: 27-of-41 passing for 317 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
• Elijah Moore, WR, NYJ: 7 catches for 84 yards, 2 TDs

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Colts Put on an Offensive Show in Victory

If the Colts are going to turn the corner and contend in the AFC, Thursday's game was frankly one they needed to win.

They were at home against a 2-5 squad and needed to stack some victories before daunting games against the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders. The offense clearly got the memo from the start.

Indianapolis marched its way to four touchdowns on four possessions in the first half with Nyheim Hines, Taylor, Jack Doyle and Michael Pittman Jr. all scoring. The Jets had no answers for the rushing attack with Taylor picking up yards between the tackles and Hines bouncing to the outside.

Nyheim Hines is FAST 💨

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/aMrsikBqzg

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 5, 2021

.@cj_wentz flips it to Doyle for the TD!@Colts lead 21-7. #ForTheShoe

📺: #NYJvsIND on NFLN/FOX/PRIME VIDEO
📱: https://t.co/LjvhBLTVnB pic.twitter.com/3fuS4oFVIA

— NFL (@NFL) November 5, 2021

Who else?

Michael Pittman Jr. scores his 5th TD in his last five games

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/keuU0Jeq2c

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 5, 2021

Big man touchdowns are the best 😂

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/Eg1tBEMVdF

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 5, 2021

JONATHAN TAYLOR. SHEESH.

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/rqiya9TKaQ

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 5, 2021

Jonathan Taylor is the first player with 100+ scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in 6 straight single-season games since LaDainian Tomlinson in his 2006 MVP season.@JayT23 | @LT_21

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) November 5, 2021

Jonathan Taylor reached a top speed of 22.05 mph on this 78-yard TD run, the fastest speed by a ball carrier this season.

Taylor is now responsible for the two fastest speeds this season (21.83 mph in Week 8).#StatThat | Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/h75Cuy16eI

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 5, 2021

When they attempted to adjust, Wentz picked the secondary apart and expanded the lead with the aerial attack.

It felt like the biggest question of the second half was whether the Colts would score on every possession, but it was answered in dramatic fashion when the Jets stuffed Taylor at their own 1-yard line on a fourth-down attempt. Indianapolis got cute on the goal line on its ensuing possession and had Wentz throw a touchdown pass to offensive lineman Danny Pinter.

The trick play underscored the gap between the two teams on a night when the Colts were completely dialed in and the Jets were on their third quarterback of the season. And it became even clearer when Taylor exploded for a 78-yard touchdown run on the home team's next offensive play.

Indianapolis looked like a powerhouse college football program getting ready for conference play against an FCS opponent for extended stretches. It won't always be this easy, but the Colts will take it as they try to make the playoffs.

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Mike White's Injury Sets Stage for Jets Loss

Winning and losing figured to take something of a backseat for the Jets this season with the long-term focus on the development of Wilson into a franchise quarterback after they selected him with the No. 2 pick of the 2021 NFL draft.

However, the campaign took a turn when White stepped in for an injured Wilson and led New York to a stunning victory over the contending Cincinnati Bengals in his first career start with 405 passing yards. Thursday was an opportunity to build on that and perhaps even create some quarterback controversy when the rookie is ready to return.

It looked like that was exactly what would happen when White dropped a perfectly placed touchdown pass into the arms of Elijah Moore on the team's second possession, but all the momentum disappeared when he suffered the forearm injury.

MIKE WHITE SZN.

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/H5iTiB6ItC

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 5, 2021

Jets QB Josh Johnson has been quite the journeyman 🤯 pic.twitter.com/0CjPUZEk0i

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 5, 2021

Darius Leonard is different

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/KU6hftYWsL

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 5, 2021

.@e_moore03 with his second TD of the day! #TakeFlight

📺: #NYJvsIND on NFLN/FOX/PRIME VIDEO
📱: https://t.co/LjvhBLTVnB pic.twitter.com/lW6qNc1Oed

— NFL (@NFL) November 5, 2021

That paved the way for Johnson to take over, but one of his drives ended when Darius Leonard punched the ball free from Ty Johnson as the Jets fell behind by three scores by halftime.

It got even uglier early in the second half with garbage time coming quickly.

The defense didn't have a chance against the Wentz and Taylor combination, and the offense was fighting an uphill battle after losing its feel-good story in the first half to injury even though Johnson eventually established a rhythm with multiple late touchdown passes after the game was largely decided.

It figures to be a long rest of the season for New York, and Thursday's blowout will likely shift attention back to Wilson's development.                   

---

What's Next?

Both teams are home for divisional games in Week 10 when the Jets face the Buffalo Bills and the Colts play the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz had a rough outing in a 34-31 overtime loss to the Tennesee Titans on Sunday, and he's shouldering most of the blame after tossing two late interceptions.

"I beat us today at the end of the game," Wentz said in his postgame press conference.

Wentz tossed his first interception of the game late in the fourth quarter, and Titans defensive back Elijah Molden returned it for a touchdown. The 28-year-old called it a "terrible play."

Colts head coach Frank Reich took the blame for Wentz's first pick of the afternoon:

"I told Carson right after that play, he came over to the sideline, I said, 'That's 100 percent my fault. That's a terrible play-call. Now, just go make it right. Go make it right.'"

Wentz made up for the pick with another touchdown drive to force overtime, but he tossed his second pick of the game in OT. Titans safety Kevin Byard was able to return it 14 yards to put the team in field-goal range at the Indy 32-yard line.

Kevin Byard with the CLUTCH INT in OT! #Titans

📺: #TENvsIND on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/gn14Zv1mvY

— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021

Wentz finished the game 27-of-51 passing for 231 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions as the Colts moved to 3-5 on the year.

The former Pro Bowler entered Sunday's game with just one interception on the season after a 2020 campaign that saw him throw a career-high 15 picks as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Philly traded Wentz to the Colts in March, and Reich lauded the veteran throughout the offseason, saying he believes in the signal-caller and knows his hard work will pay off.

While Wentz has undoubtedly improved from last season, his efforts still haven't been enough as the Colts continue to struggle with injuries through the first half of the season.

Defensive tackle Tyquan Lewis exited Sunday's game with a knee injury, safety Khari Willis suffered a calf injury and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton was evaluated for a concussion. Hilton also missed time earlier in the season because of injury.

Wide receiver Parris Campbell is on injured reserve, and other players who have missed time include defensive ends Kwity Paye and Kemoko Turay, left guard Quenton Nelson, right tackle Braden Smith and cornerbacks T.J. Carrie, Rock Ya-Sin and Xavier Rhodes.