BERLIN -- Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor created his own bit of history during the NFL's first regular-season game in Germany's capital Sunday.
The NFL's leading rusher unleashed a torrent on the Atlanta Falcons, running for 244 yards, setting the franchise touchdown record and scoring a walk-off TD in overtime that allowed the Colts to pull off a 31-25 win.
"This is a historic place, and you look back at the history, the guys who've achieved amazing feats here [are] no slouch," Taylor said in reference to Berlin, where 89 years ago American sprinter Jesse Owens made his own history at the 1936 Olympics. "So, to kind of be a part of that makes me feel like a part of that lineage. And I'm so appreciative. I'm humbled to have just a small piece of history."
Taylor passed Hall of Fame back Edgerrin James for the Colts' touchdown record with his 65th career score in the fourth quarter, doing so in spectacular fashion. The Colts attempted to execute an inside run, but the Atlanta defense bottled up Taylor at the line of scrimmage. As he was still on his feet, Taylor sensed an opening to his left and broke the run outside. From there, he turned the corner and did not stop until he crossed the goal line 83 yards later.
"It was kind of just mashed up in there, and he bounced it to the left and hit it down the sideline," Colts coach Shane Steichen said. "That was a huge run that kind of got some good momentum, good juice going for us."
Taylor had three touchdowns on the day, the fourth time he has done that this season. In NFL history, only LaDainian Tomlinson has done it more -- five times in 2006, when he was named league MVP.
Taylor has 15 rushing touchdowns and two receiving on the year. And he now has three of the top four single-game rushing performances in club history.
Taylor got so hot in the fourth quarter and overtime that Steichen stopped overthinking his playcalling. Of the seven plays on the Colts' game-winning drive in OT, six were Taylor runs.
"You can feel that," Steichen said of Taylor heating up. "You can feel it on the sidelines calling the game when guys are rolling. He was rolling."
Added linebacker Zaire Franklin: "I told him, 'You've always been great, but you got this clutch thing going on now ... just the crucial timing. These big runs, man. He's our home run hitter. He's our knockout punch. He's the best weapon in the league. Best player in the league this season."
In overtime, the Colts already had gotten a defensive stop, meaning the next score would win the game. As the final drive played out, Steichen could have opted for a short field goal. But because the Falcons had not stopped Taylor on the drive, the coach kept it simple. And that was exactly what Taylor was hoping.
"A field goal will win it, but if you get that one-on-one opportunity, you want to take advantage of it, seize it, and you just live for those moments," Taylor said. "You don't know when those moments come, but you remember, not even the run. You remember your teammates embracing you after, after that play. I think that's what I'm going to remember the most.
"And I'm just glad I was able to do it here in Berlin."
