
Taylor’s two-touchdown workload carries Colts past Commanders in London
Taylor takes 20 carries; Jones finishes without a passing touchdown, and Washington’s rookie replacement throws for 186 yards.
By RSO NFL Roster Desk / 3 sources / Published October 4, 2026
Jonathan Taylor handled 20 carries for 95 yards and two touchdowns in Indianapolis’ 30–13 win over Washington in London on Sunday. The Colts recovered from two early Daniel Jones turnovers, scored on all three red-zone trips and improved to 2–2. Washington fell to 1–3 after having to turn to rookie quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis.
Short fields turn the game
Washington led 6–0 after two Drew Stevens field goals. Indianapolis' first five possessions produced a lost fumble, an interception and three punts, but the Commanders failed to turn that start into a larger cushion.
A fourth-down stop changed the first half. Craig Reynolds was stopped for no gain at Washington's 46-yard line, giving Indianapolis a short field. A Commanders unnecessary-roughness penalty extended the possession, and Taylor scored from five yards with 3:23 left in the second quarter.
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Spencer Shrader's field goal at the half put Indianapolis ahead 10–6. The Colts quickly widened the gap after the break: Jaylon Carlies intercepted Kaliakmanis and returned the ball to Washington's 20. Four plays later, Taylor added another five-yard touchdown for a 17–6 lead. The takeaway gave the Colts another scoring opportunity without requiring a long drive.
Washington's answer does not last
Kaliakmanis responded with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Treylon Burks, cutting the deficit to 17–13 with 10:39 remaining in the third quarter. The seventh-round rookie finished 15 of 33 for 186 yards, a touchdown and an interception after replacing the injured Marcus Mariota.
Washington had another apparent explosive score taken away. An 87-yard pass to Antonio Williams was nullified by an illegal-shift penalty late in the third quarter. The Commanders eventually punted, and Indianapolis answered with a nine-play, 52-yard touchdown drive. Taylor carried much of that possession before Jones scored on a four-yard keeper with 11:38 left.
Shrader added a 44-yard field goal after another fourth-down stop, completing a three-field-goal afternoon. Washington finished 2 of 15 on third down and 1 of 4 on fourth down. Its 10 penalties cost 84 yards; Indianapolis was penalized once for five.
What the box score says
Jones completed 19 of 34 passes for 143 yards with no passing touchdowns, an interception and a lost fumble. Taylor handled 20 of Indianapolis' 30 rushing attempts, while Seth McGowan added 31 yards on six carries. The Colts finished with 128 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.
Washington gained more total yards, 317 to 257, but went scoreless on both red-zone visits. Dyami Brown led its receivers with 65 yards on three catches. Burks' touchdown accounted for his only reception, while Stefon Diggs caught five passes for 35 yards.
For roster managers, the split is clear: Taylor supplied two touchdowns on 20 carries, while Jones added a rushing score without throwing one. Tyler Warren caught all five of his targets for 41 yards, and Laquon Treadwell had five catches for 42 yards on six targets. Those opportunities describe Sunday’s usage; they do not establish a future depth-chart change. The Associated Press independently confirmed the win. Washington’s quarterback availability remains a separate question after Mariota’s exit.
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