Jonathan Taylor ran for three touchdowns and Daniel Jones threw for two as the Indianapolis Colts ran roughshod over the Los Angeles Chargers’ defense for an impressive 38-24 win on Sunday in Inglewood, Calif.
Taylor finished with 94 yards on 16 carries, scoring on runs of 23, 8 and 19 yards as Indianapolis (6-1) won its third straight game to extend its AFC South lead over Jacksonville to two games. The Jaguars lost their second straight game, 35-7, to the Los Angeles Rams earlier Sunday in London.
Jones completed 23 of 34 passes for 288 yards as the Colts totaled 401 yards for the game. They were especially effective in extending drives, going 5-of-11 on third down and 3-of-3 on fourth down.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert put up monster stats in defeat, hitting 37 of 55 passes for 420 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. But Los Angeles (4-3) rushed for just 54 yards on 16 attempts, largely abandoning the running game after Indianapolis established a 23-3 halftime lead.
The Colts scored touchdowns on their first three drives, going 75, 70 and 80 yards as their balance was too much for the Chargers. Taylor rumbled in from the 23 just 2:24 into the game, giving Indianapolis a lead it would never relinquish.
Cameron Dicker got Los Angeles on the board with a 43-yard field goal at the 7:35 mark before Indianapolis scored the next 17 points. Jones hit Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Warren with 4- and 5-yard touchdown passes, and after Herbert tossed an interception, Michael Badgley converted a 36-yard field goal for a 20-point cushion at the break.
Herbert found the range in the third quarter, sandwiching Taylor’s 8-yard scoring jaunt on a jet sweep by finding Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen for 7- and 4-yard touchdown passes, respectively.
Taylor’s 19-yard run made the lead 38-17 with 3:33 left in the third quarter. Oronde Gadsden II caught his first career touchdown pass, a 15-yarder, with 13:40 remaining in the game for the Chargers.
Gadsden enjoyed a huge game, hauling in seven passes for 164 yards, more than the 144 yards the rookie had in his first four games combined.
–Field Level Media
