Jonathan Taylor Ties Chiefs-Colts at 27-27 With 2nd Rushing TD

Q: Did a controversial referee spot just validate the Colts' massive $44 million investment in Jonathan Taylor?

Not by itself, but it strongly illustrated why the Colts paid Jonathan Taylor. The controversial spot on Keenan Allen’s third-down catch helped keep alive a pivotal late drive, and that matters. Without that ruling, Indianapolis may not have gotten the chance to convert on fourth down and march for the tying score. So the sequence was aided by officiating fortune. What validated the $44 million investment was what came next: Taylor finished the drive and the night. He turned 19 carries into 83 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-tying score at 27-27. In a high-leverage moment, the Colts leaned on the player they made one of the NFL’s highest-paid running backs, and he delivered exactly the kind of dependable red-zone production and late-game finishing ability they are paying for. That is also consistent with the broader case for the extension. Taylor is coming off back-to-back 1,400-yard seasons and a 2025 campaign in which he led the NFL in carries and rushing touchdowns. His new deal — two years, $44 million, with $39 million guaranteed and a max of $47 million — reflects not just one drive, but his role as the engine of the Colts’ offense. So the spot did not validate the contract. It created the opening. Taylor’s response to that opening is what reinforced why Indianapolis committed so heavily to him.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Sep 21

Jonathan Taylor’s second rushing touchdown capped a Colts response and pulled Indianapolis level with Kansas City at 27-27.
Kansas City had just gone ahead on a field goal, but the Colts answered with a long drive that kept possession alive on fourth down.
A controversial spot on a third-down pass to Keenan Allen set up that conversion, helping extend the march to Taylor’s score.
Taylor finished the drive with his 19th carry and had 83 yards and two touchdowns at the time of the tying play.