Dropping the Ball at the 1/2 Yardline

[ChaosTheory]

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles

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NFL executives, coaches, and scouts have dropped Jonathan Taylor down 2 sports from last rankings (from #5 in 2024 to #7 in 2025.)

Even if Taylor rushes for more than 2,000 yards in a single season, I'm going to blow up his fucking car in the parking lot if he ever drops the ball at the goal-line again while wearing a Colts uniform.



Execs, Coaches, Scouts Rank NFL’s Top 10 Running Backs for 2025

(By Jeremy Fowler)

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...s-best-rushers

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70 people submitted "at least one" ballot among the 11 groups. Very scientific. Bijan Robinson - highest rank: 1, lowest rank: unranked. Haha.

Not that I want the attention on our guys, honestly... but JT was one of three RB's averaging 100+yds/gm (102.2). Next in line was Robinson at 85.6y/g.

17-game pace was 1737yds and 14tds.

[YDFL Commish]

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory

70 people submitted "at least one" ballot among the 11 groups. Very scientific. Bijan Robinson - highest rank: 1, lowest rank: unranked. Haha.

Not that I want the attention on our guys, honestly... but JT was one of three RB's averaging 100+yds/gm (102.2). Next in line was Robinson at 85.6y/g.

17-game pace was 1737yds and 14tds.

This is the problem. JT looks all-world when you just base it on stats. When you actually watch him play, and see that he sucks at pass blocking, sucks at pass catching and sucks at situational awareness, then you're left scratching your head.

Also, I suspect but can't confirm, that he also sucks at route running. Maybe someone else can enlighten us on that aspect of his game?

[ChaosTheory]

Originally Posted by YDFL Commish

This is the problem. JT looks all-world when you just base it on stats. When you actually watch him play, and see that he sucks at pass blocking, sucks at pass catching and sucks at situational awareness, then you're left scratching your head.

Also, I suspect but can't confirm, that he also sucks at route running. Maybe someone else can enlighten us on that aspect of his game?

Point taken, but it's not like I haven't watched every Colts snap for 20+ years. Eyeball test certainly factors in for me. Also, I agree stats can mislead, but rushing yards aren't exactly the same as interceptions or sacks which can flat out lie.

He's no Edge in pass pro, for sure. And his hands aren't very good. He's got a near identical drop-rate to Saquon Barkley. And nobody gave a shit about that last year because he's an elite rusher.

That's about how I feel about JT to some degree.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory

Point taken, but it's not like I haven't watched every Colts snap for 20+ years. Eyeball test certainly factors in for me. Also, I agree stats can mislead, but rushing yards aren't exactly the same as interceptions or sacks which can flat out lie.

He's no Edge in pass pro, for sure. And his hands aren't very good. He's got a near identical drop-rate to Saquon Barkley. And nobody gave a shit about that last year because he's an elite rusher.

That's about how I feel about JT to some degree.

How I feel about Taylor is that I hope DJ Giddens earns a prominent role this year. He's competent in pass pro and a great receiver out of the backfield, so he's almost a shoo-in for the 3rd down role, but I'm hoping for more of a 60/40 split with Giddens' role growing throughout the year, and eventually Giddens replacing Taylor as RB1.

The reason is Taylor has all the talent to be better than Derrick Henry, but he hasn’t improved at pass pro and has regressed as a receiver since entering the league. That's indicative that he's not putting in the work to get better. Giddens may not be as talented as Taylor (though he has similar HWS, good vision, great open field agility, etc., he was just in a much deeper RB class than Taylor), but he shows effort in pass pro and has real talent as a receiver. I'd rather have a guy with slightly less talent who wants to put the effort into being the best, which to me is Giddens, than a guy who has the most talent but has no interest in putting the work in to become the best, which manifests itself in things like sucking at pass pro, regressing as a receiver, and fumbling the 2024 season away because he couldn't be bothered to finish the play before celebrating, which is obviously Taylor.

[Racehorse]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

How I feel about Taylor is that I hope DJ Giddens earns a prominent role this year. He's competent in pass pro and a great receiver out of the backfield, so he's almost a shoo-in for the 3rd down role, but I'm hoping for more of a 60/40 split with Giddens' role growing throughout the year, and eventually Giddens replacing Taylor as RB1.

The reason is Taylor has all the talent to be better than Derrick Henry, but he hasn’t improved at pass pro and has regressed as a receiver since entering the league. That's indicative that he's not putting in the work to get better. Giddens may not be as talented as Taylor (though he has similar HWS, good vision, great open field agility, etc., he was just in a much deeper RB class than Taylor), but he shows effort in pass pro and has real talent as a receiver. I'd rather have a guy with slightly less talent who wants to put the effort into being the best, which to me is Giddens, than a guy who has the most talent but has no interest in putting the work in to become the best, which manifests itself in things like sucking at pass pro, regressing as a receiver, and fumbling the 2024 season away because he couldn't be bothered to finish the play before celebrating, which is obviously Taylor.

I never understand when fans want one player to fail.

[apballin]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

How I feel about Taylor is that I hope DJ Giddens earns a prominent role this year. He's competent in pass pro and a great receiver out of the backfield, so he's almost a shoo-in for the 3rd down role, but I'm hoping for more of a 60/40 split with Giddens' role growing throughout the year, and eventually Giddens replacing Taylor as RB1.

The reason is Taylor has all the talent to be better than Derrick Henry, but he hasn’t improved at pass pro and has regressed as a receiver since entering the league. That's indicative that he's not putting in the work to get better. Giddens may not be as talented as Taylor (though he has similar HWS, good vision, great open field agility, etc., he was just in a much deeper RB class than Taylor), but he shows effort in pass pro and has real talent as a receiver. I'd rather have a guy with slightly less talent who wants to put the effort into being the best, which to me is Giddens, than a guy who has the most talent but has no interest in putting the work in to become the best, which manifests itself in things like sucking at pass pro, regressing as a receiver, and fumbling the 2024 season away because he couldn't be bothered to finish the play before celebrating, which is obviously Taylor.

Running game hasn’t been the same since Doyle retired and Hines requested a trade. Getting Warren and Giddens is only gonna make JT more explosive.

[YDFL Commish]

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory

Point taken, but it's not like I haven't watched every Colts snap for 20+ years. Eyeball test certainly factors in for me. Also, I agree stats can mislead, but rushing yards aren't exactly the same as interceptions or sacks which can flat out lie.

He's no Edge in pass pro, for sure. And his hands aren't very good. He's got a near identical drop-rate to Saquon Barkley. And nobody gave a shit about that last year because he's an elite rusher.

That's about how I feel about JT to some degree.

I wasn't singling you out specifically. I'm just saying that the casual Colts fan and most of the national media look at the stats and think that JT is ALL-WORLD, when nothing could be further from the truth. But, yes he is a top 10 NFL RB.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Racehorse

I never understand when fans want one player to fail.

I don't want Taylor to fail, I want Giddens to be better. I'd also love if Taylor got good at the things he's bad at. I want the Colts to win, and winning takes a mentality that pursues being the best, not resting on otherworldly athletic gifts.

[apballin]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

I don't want Taylor to fail, I want Giddens to be better. I'd also love if Taylor got good at the things he's bad at. I want the Colts to win, and winning takes a mentality that pursues being the best, not resting on otherworldly athletic gifts.

By year 6 I’d say he is what he is, Derrick Henry sucks as a receiver and has always been a half ass blocker but what he’s effective at changes the game. I’d say same for JT, don’t try and change him now just play to his strengths, if it leads to nearly 2 thousand yards then I’m ok with that

[sherck]

Originally Posted by apballin

By year 6 I’d say he is what he is, Derrick Henry sucks as a receiver and has always been a half ass blocker but what he’s effective at changes the game. I’d say same for JT, don’t try and change him now just play to his strengths, if it leads to nearly 2 thousand yards then I’m ok with that.

No one is arguing that.

However, JT is NOT leading to nearly 2,000 yards in rushing. His high-point was year 2 where he averaged 5.5 ypc and 1,811 yards overall. In the following 3 years, he is averaging 4.5 ypc, 4.4 ypc and 4.7 ypc respectively and has not cracked 1,500 yards in any of those seasons.

In 2024 with JT rushing at a rate of 4.7 ypc, he was #8 in RBs on ypc. That is good, but no where near "elite" if that is what we are hoping for.

For an elite back like Henry, as a team you often overlook the other things that a RB does not do well. However, for all his potential and our hopes, I don't know that JT is elite.