The Colts are 6-5 after beating the Buccaneers and vying for a playoff spot, but they'll be without star running back Jonathan Taylor for some time after he suffered a thumb injury during Sunday's win.
Taylor, who underwent surgery Wednesday, faces a recovery time of about 3-5 weeks, according to NFL Media. Dr. Steven Shin, who performed the surgery, used an internal brace to repair the UCL tear, Ian Rapoport reports.
Initially, Colts owner Jim Irsay told The Athletic that Taylor would be sidelined for at least 2-3 weeks.
Taylor's absence will be a significant blow to the Colts, who are currently on the good side of the AFC's playoff bubble. The former All-Pro scored twice in Sunday's win over Tampa and has scored three touchdowns over the past two games.
The league's former rushing champion missed the season's first four games as he continued to recover from an ankle injury sustained last season. Taylor's return coincided with him receiving a three-year, $42 million extension that made him one of the league's highest-paid running backs.
Taylor has rushed for 414 yards and four touchdowns and has averaged 4.1 yards-per-carry this season. While he hasn't has a 100-yard game, Taylor has had two games where he has rushed for at least 91 yards and an additional game that saw him record 120 all-purpose yards (in the Colts' one-point loss to the Browns on Oct. 22).
Expect Zack Moss to reprise his role as the Colts' starting running back for however long Taylor is out. Traded to Indianapolis from Buffalo last November, Moss leads the Colts with 672 yards and five touchdowns through 11 games.
