Jonathan Taylor Scores Two Touchdowns as Colts Defeat Commanders 30-13 in London

Taylor leads Colts in London

The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Washington Commanders 30-13 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, securing back-to-back victories. Running back Jonathan Taylor paced the offense with two touchdowns on 20 carries, gaining between 95 and 97 yards on the ground. Taylor found the end zone late in the second quarter and again early in the third quarter, celebrating both scores by miming sipping tea in front of the London crowd. The result moved Indianapolis to a 2-2 record through four games, while Washington dropped to 1-3. Taylor has now recorded multiple touchdowns in three of his four appearances this season. Former NFL running back Ronde Barber served as the in-stadium hype man before kickoff, welcoming fans to the league's 19th year staging regular-season games in the United Kingdom.

Speaking to NFL Network after the victory, Taylor addressed the atmosphere at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:

I just think that any time we have an opportunity to put a great product on the field and showcase the game that we love (to) fans all across the world, on the international stage, we always try to put our best foot forward.

The crowd was electric, the energy was amazing and I can't wait to come back to London.

Quarterback injuries derail Commanders

Washington entered the contest without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was sidelined by a dislocated left elbow. The Commanders suffered another setback in the opening minutes of the first quarter when veteran backup Marcus Mariota sustained a right knee injury. Mariota, who had guided Washington to a win over the Seattle Seahawks a week earlier, was forced to leave the field. Rookie seventh-round draft pick Athan Kaliakmanis entered in relief to make his professional debut. The 23-year-old third-string passer completed 15 of 33 passes for 186 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Kaliakmanis completed throws of 47 and 48 yards, but had an 87-yard touchdown nullified by a penalty and threw an interception early in the second half after running back Austin Ekeler had advanced Washington to midfield.

Early turnover and scoring sequence

Washington opened the scoring after defensive tackle Odafe Oweh pushed Bernhard Raimann into quarterback Daniel Jones, forcing a fumble on the Colts' second offensive play. Kicker Drew Stevens converted the turnover into a 31-yard field goal to give the Commanders an early 3-0 advantage. Jones finished the day completing 19 of 34 passes for 143 yards and an interception, while adding a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Indianapolis built a 17-6 lead before halftime, supported by Taylor's first touchdown run and a 48-yard field goal from Spencer Shrader. In the third quarter, Kaliakmanis connected with wide receiver Treylon Burks on a 47-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit before Indianapolis pulled away with Jones's late score.

European schedule and NFL Sunday slate

The matchup in London is the first of nine international games scheduled across the NFL this season, including three fixtures in London during October. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host the Philadelphia Eagles against the Jacksonville Jaguars on 11 October, followed by the Jaguars facing the Houston Texans on 18 October. The European series will conclude in France on 25 October, when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France in the league's first regular-season contest on French soil. The London game also opened a Sunday schedule where the Las Vegas Raiders host the Kansas City Chiefs, the San Francisco 49ers play the Denver Broncos, the Minnesota Vikings host the Miami Dolphins, and the Buffalo Bills host the New England Patriots.