The NFL MVP award has gone to quarterbacks more often than not during its history. Could we see that change in 2021? It's po sible thanks to the strong performance of Jonathan Taylor.

Taylor, the Colts' second-year running back, has been the best running back in football for the second half of the season. He was overshadowed by Derrick Henry and a lower usage rate in the first half of the campaign, but since the Colts have given him the primary, do-it-all role in the offense, he has excelled.

In fact, Taylor has performed so well that he is getting MVP buzz from people within the NFL community.

"He's kind of taken the team on his shoulders, which is hard to do for a runner, and he's taken over games," an AFC executive told . "Most of their big games, he's taken over."

Chris Taylor Jersey Indeed, that's true.The Colts are averaging 197 rushing yards per game in their wins and just 103.7 in their lo ses, so there's a clear correlation between the succe s of their running game and the succe s of their team.

Will that be enough to earn Taylor the MVP? Here's a look at how he stacks up against the other most recent running back recipients of the NFL's highest on-the-field honor.

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NFL running backs to win MVP

There have been 18 running backs that have won the MVP award since it was first awarded in 1957. Jim Brown is the only running back to win the award multiple times, as he took home three in 1957, 1958 and 1965.

Since 2000, only four running backs have won the award, the most recent of which was Adrian Peterson in 2012. Peterson came Andre Ethier Jersey off a torn ACL that season and posted the second-most rushing yards in NFL history.

Here's a full list of the running backs that have won the MVP award.

YearPlayerTeam1957Jim BrownBrowns1958Jim BrownBrowns1961Paul HornungPackers1962Jim TaylorPackers1965Jim BrownBrowns1972Larry BrownWashington1973O. J. SimpsonBills1977Walter PaytonBears1979Earl CampbellOilers1985Marcus AllenRaiders1991Thurman ThomasBills1993Emmitt SmithCowboys1997Barry Sanders*Lions1998Terrell DavisBroncos2000Marshall FaulkRams2005Shaun AlexanderSeahawks2006LaDainian TomlinsonChargers2012Adrian PetersonVikings

* Barry Sanders was co-MVP with Packers QB Brett Favre in 1997.

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Breaking down the five most recent RB MVP seasons

It has been rare for running backs to win MVP in recent years. Since the turn of the century, the award has been dominated by quarterbacks, who have won 16 MVPs compared to the four that have gone to running backs.

Still, elite, breakthrough performances have been recognized over the last 20-plus years.Here'sa clear picture of what recent MVP RBs have had to do to earn that honor.

Terrell Davis, Broncos, 1998CarriesRushing yardsRushing TDsReceptionsReceiving yardsReceiving TDs3922,00821252172

Davisdid it all.He was Max Muncy Jersey second in the league in total carries behind only Jamal Anderson (410) and led the league in yards per carry with 5.1 per attempt. That mix of volume and efficiency was key in his MVP case. So toowas eclipsing 2,000 yards rushing, racking up more than 20 touchdowns and leading his team to a 14-2 regular-season record.

Davis had one of the best running back seasons in NFL history in 1998. He became just the third running back in NFL history (at the time) to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards and his 392 carries rank as the seventh-most in NFL history.He also aided the team'sSuper Bowl title run, as he had 468 rushing yards and three TDs for Denver during their three postseason games.

Marshall Faulk, Rams, 2000CarriesRushing yardsRushing TDsReceptionsReceiving yardsReceiving TDs2531,35918818308

Faulk was the most important part of the "Greatest Show on Turf" offense. He was a do-it-all machine out of the backfield, as he finished eighth in the NFL in rushing yards, first in rushing touchdowns and he managed the 17th-most receptions in the league despite his running back role and the presence of Hall of Famer Isaac Bruce and seven-time Pro Bowler Torry Holt. If you just looked at Faulk's rushing yards, you might question why he won MVP in 2000. But when you factor in his work as a receiver (830 yards and eight TDs), it's Logan Forsythe Jersey easy to understand why he got the nod.

Faulk's 26 total touchdowns were an NFL record for a running back at that time, and that was likely what gave him the nod. Generating 2,000 scrimmage yards and playing for a 10-win team certainly helped as well.

Shaun Alexander, Seahawks, 2005CarriesRushing yardsRushing TDsReceptionsReceiving yardsReceiving TDs3701 Hyun-Jin Ryu Jersey ,8802715781

Faulk's touchdown record didn't stand for long. Alexander came along in 2005 and broke it with ease, generating 28 total touchdowns (27 rushing) while leading the Seahawks to a 13-3 regular-season record.

Alexander was a true, between-the-tackles grinder for the Seahawks. He accounted for 1,958 of the team's 6,089 scrimmage yards. That was good for 32.2 percent of the team's offensive output, and he had more than double the next-highest producer (Bobby Engram, 778).

The Seahawks rode Alexander to a Super Bowl appearance, where they lost at the hands of the Steelers, but it was still a banner year for Alexander. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and though he didn't quite eclispe 2,000 scrimmage yards, his effort as a highly productive, high-volume runner was enough to earn him the MVP.

LaDanian Tomlinson, Chargers, 2006CarriesRushing yardsRushing TDsReceptionsReceiving yardsReceiving TDs3481,81528565083

Poor Alexander only got to hold the running back touchdown record for a single season before Tomlinson came along and broke it. Tomlinson was absolutely insane for the Chargers in 2006, as he recorded a whopping 31 rushing and receiving touchdowns, a record that nobody has come close to breaking over the last 15 seasons.

Comparatively, Philip Rivers, who was the Chargers'fresh-faced starter at the time threw for just 22 touchdowns, three of which went to Tomlinson. And LT threw a couple of touchdown pa ses of his own. So, all told, the Chargers had 32 rushing touchdowns and 24 receiving touchdowns. Tomlinson was directly Yasmani Grandal Jersey involved in 33 of them, including his two pa ses, which meant he was a part of 58.9 percent of the team's scores.

That type of touchdown production alone was absurd enough to warrant the MVP. Add in his 2,323 scrimmage yards and he was a shoo-in for the award even though he didn't get the elusive unanimous MVP