INDIANAPOLIS – While the Indianapolis Colts' running backs were averaging a mere 1.6 yards on 16 carries Sunday, the team's best running back was not even on the premises.

Jonathan Taylor, who remains on the physically unable to perform list and continues to hold out hope of being traded, was not in attendance at Lucas Oil Stadium for the season-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That’s a continuation of how things have played out the past couple of weeks, when Taylor’s time around the team has been minimized, according to sources, at the request of the team. Taylor often departs for the day before the Colts’ midday practices, following his morning ankle rehab sessions.

From all appearances, the relationship between Taylor and the team has not improved. Meanwhile, the team’s position on granting Taylor the contract extension he’s seeking hasn’t changed, even though he’s eligible to play as early as Week 5.

So, it fell to Deon Jackson, Evan Hull and Jake Funk to sustain the Colts’ running game, and that led to a predictable result.

Jackson started the game and struggled, fumbling twice and mustering just 14 yards on 13 rushing attempts. Funk produced the longest run from a running back with a 7-yard gain. Hull showed promise in training camp and the preseason, but he injured a knee after just two touches and his status going forward is uncertain.

“He could miss some time,” coach Shane Steichen said Monday.

That left the Colts to consider their options for a potential roster move, whether from their practice squad or any of the external options they’ve considered in recent weeks (like free agent Kareem Hunt).

The Colts could get veteran Zack Moss back for next week’s game against the Houston Texans. He’s coming off a broken arm suffered in training camp and returned to practice last week.

Nevertheless, the Colts are clearly missing the dynamic ability of Taylor. And at no time was it more obvious than in short-yardage situations.

Taylor has made a living converting third-and-short and fourth-and-short situations, but the Colts failed miserably in those scenarios on Sunday.

Take, for instance, a third-and-2 situation in the first quarter when safety Andre Cisco dragged down Jackson after a gain of just one yard. Jackson was also stopped on a third-and-3 in the second quarter. Quarterback Anthony Richardson was stuffed for no gain on the ensuing fourth-and-1 when he attempted a sneak.

The Colts finished 2 of 12 on third downs and 1 of 5 on fourth downs.

The offensive line’s role in all of this will be closely scrutinized as well, especially given the unit’s poor play last season. But there were times when there were at least partial creases that an elite back like Taylor could exploit.

The Colts’ inability to run the football could have a trickle-down effect on Richardson, the team’s prized rookie who was selected fourth overall in this year’s draft. As the Jaguars demonstrated Sunday, teams are more than happy to deploy two deep safeties to force the young quarterback to remain patient when looking for downfield opportunities. But if the Colts could generate a consistent ground game, it might force opponents to bring a safety near the line of scrimmage and open up some deep shots for Richardson.

“He checked the ball down when he needed to check it down when they didn’t give us the shots,” Steichen said of Richardson.

Accordingly, Richardson’s longest completion of the game – a 39-yard touchdown to Michael Pittman Jr. – was the result of a short receiver screen. Richardson ranked 25th among quarterbacks in air yards per attempt (5.5) in Week 1 entering Monday night’s game.

All of this links back, at least in part, to the lack of a substantive running game. Is there any hope of improvement? And what are the odds Taylor embraces the idea of returning to the lineup and also injects life into the Colts’ rushing attack?

Those answers remain elusive. And until something changes, offensive progress might be, too.