Colts offense relies on running game and secures first win

The Indianapolis Colts offense relied heavily on the running game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday to secure their first win of the 2024 season.

This week's performance came on the heels of a disappointing loss a week earlier to the Green Bay Packers, where the running game seemed inexplicably forgotten.

Although Taylor totaled 103 rushing yards in this game, he only had 12 carries. Anthony Richardson also only had one rushed run in this game.

This week, however, there was a concerted effort to get both involved in the running game. Aside from the kneel-downs at the end, the Colts ran the ball 30 times in this game. Taylor had 23 of those runs, Richardson had five runs on multiple designed runs, and Trey Sermon had two.

Taylor was again quite efficient, rushing for 110 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown run, at 4.8 yards per carry. Richardson rushed for 28 yards on his five carries and Sermon had a 15-yard run that brought the offense near the goal line.

With all that being said, one caveat must be mentioned: With the Colts leading the entire game and trailing Green Bay by a point or two, there were more opportunities to run the ball today.

But no matter whether we are 10 points ahead or 10 points behind, what we saw against the Bears must serve as a blueprint for the future.

As Richardson continues to go through the learning curve that comes with gaining NFL experience, there will be ups and downs, as we saw on Sunday. Richardson was able to generate two more explosive pass plays, but also had two interceptions and other throws that were off target.

The Colts offense needs something they can rely on to sustain their attacks and take some of the game-winning load off Richardson and the passing game.

The one-two punch of Taylor and Richardson in the backfield can be a real stressor for opposing defenses. This, in turn, can help create opportunities in the passing game that can be exploited, whether through the RPO play or the rushing offense creating short down-and-distance situations.

Each week will look a little different and the flow of the game will determine if the Colts need to play more of a running or passing game at certain times. However, what we saw against the Bears needs to be the general formula going forward and unlike Green Bay, the running game should not take a back seat.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts offense relies on running game and secures first win