Running Backs Are System Players. Jonathan Taylor Is a System.
The New York Times
The Colts star is the N.F.L.’s most outstanding player, but barring a huge shift he won’t be its M.V.P.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor’s quest to win the N.F.L.’s Most Valuable Player Award may be doomed to failure because of semantics.
Taylor leads the N.F.L. with 1,518 rushing yards, 1,854 scrimmage yards and 19 rushing and receiving touchdowns. No other player is within 424 rushing yards or 370 scrimmage yards of him, giving Taylor what amounts to a three-game lead over his peers. Taylor rushed for 170 yards and one touchdown against the seemingly impregnable New England Patriots defense in a 27-17 victory in Week 15, which moved the Colts toward the front of the A.F.C. wild-card chase.
Taylor, whose Colts face the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night in a matchup with playoff ramifications for both teams, is the N.F.L.’s most outstanding player. He is certainly among the league’s most important and productive players. Yet he is not the league’s most valuable player.
