Moss upstages Taylor’s return in Indy win

Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss heard the talk all week.

Two-time league rushing champion Derrick Henry and Tennessee were coming back to a venue where they’d been dominant in recent years. Jonathan Taylor, the 2021 league rushing champ, was returning to game action for the first time since mid-december — with a new three-year contract.

So Moss rewrote the script. He upstaged the two big stars by running for a career-best 165 yards, scoring twice while helping Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts overcome the loss of injured rookie Anthony Richardson for a 23-16 victory Sunday.

“I just don’t know how he keeps hitting that spin move,” an impressed Taylor said. “I’ve got to add it into my repertoire. You just see how dynamic he is. He’s a tough runner, and then you guys saw today, he has breakaway speed, too, so don’t sleep (on him).”

The Colts (3-2) snapped a sevengame home losing streak by beating the Titans (2-3) for the first time in six tries.

But Richardson’s injury — and his unclear playing status — tainted Indy’s celebration. The rookie, drafted No. 4 overall in April, hurt his right shoulder injury late in the first half when he fell awkwardly to the ground on a 4-yard run with two Titans defenders draped around him.

He stayed down several minutes before walking slowly from the field to the injury tent with his shoulder drooped. Several minutes later, he came out of the tent and walked with the team’s medical personnel into the locker room. Richardson was ruled out early in the third quarter