Zack Moss ready to be Colts' lead back again: 'I've already kind of done it before'

The Colts are once again in a familiar position entering Week 13, one lacking Jonathan Taylor.

A thumb injury discovered Monday will keep Taylor out of action this weekend, leaving Zack Moss as Indianapolis’ best option. He’s ready for the challenge.

“I’ve already kind of done it before,” Moss said on Wednesday, via the team’s official site. “Now’s the time to do it again. That’s why you prepare every day — you never know what’s going to happen in this league.”

Moss handled the job quite well when last called upon, breaking 100 rushing yards in two games (Week 3 at Baltimore and Week 5 vs. Tennessee). In both contests, Moss saw 23 or more carries, and scored a combined two rushing touchdowns. He led the NFL in rushing with 466 yards during this span, which stretched from Weeks 2 through 6, and led all running backs in scrimmage yards (576), proving the Colts had more than just Taylor as quality options available in their backfield.

Since Taylor returned and began his steady ascension (reaching a new peak for 2023 with two rushing touchdowns on Sunday), Moss has shifted toward a complementary role. Now that Taylor is out following thumb surgery, Moss’ teammates have reason to feel confident they’ll be just fine in the rushing department.

“Obviously losing JT hurts,” linebacker Zaire Franklin said this week, “but man, having Zack don’t hurt.”

“When he’s, like, really playing, he’s leading the league,” quarterback Gardner Minshew said. “One of the best in the league, can make guys miss, getting some really hard yards you wouldn’t expect. Excited to get him rolling again.”

Moss will get the call this Sunday against division-rival Tennessee, which is tied for 21st against the run. He’ll hope to pick up where he left off back in Week 6 for a Colts team that refuses to drift out of the playoff race as we near December.