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RB Fred Taylor, Jacksonville Jaguars

HT: 6-1, WT: 229, Born: 1-27-1976, College: Florida, Drafted: Round 1, Pick 9

2008 Projections

2007 Game Summaries

Week 1 - Taylor did not have many rushing attempts and was unable to get on track. He was routinely stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage. He got past the line of scrimmage once, and showed good acceleration and power, but his productivity suffered from a lack of touches. Taylor was not involved in the passing game.

Week 2 - Taylor did not get past the line of scrimmage often, but did show flashes of his explosion, power and speed on a couple of plays where he gained first downs. He turned his only target from a short pass into a first down by outrunning several defenders for an 11 yard gain, displaying good concentration while reeling in the pass.

Week 3 - Taylor ran very well, showing excellent quickness to elude would-be tacklers and dragging defenders for extra yards when he was tackled. Taylor was used mostly on runs up the middle, and showed a willingness to hit the hole hard and grind out tough yards. He had four red zone touches but was unable to score.

Week 5 - Taylor ran very well, using more power than quickness in taking on Kansas City's defenders, and proved to be difficult to bring down on initial contact. Taylor did most of his work on runs up the middle, and showed a willingness to take on defenders and grind out tough yards. He had two red zone touches but was unable to score, and took himself out of the game late in the fourth quarter and was stretching his legs on the sideline afterwards.

Week 6 - On Jacksonville's second play of the game, Taylor took a handoff up the middle, cut to his left and dashed down the sideline 76 yards to the Houston 14. He only carried a total of five times, but that run set the tone as the Jaguars rushed for 244 yards in the game. Taylor suffered a groin pull in the first half of the game and did not return to the field.

Week 7 - Taylor ran with conviction and looked really quick. He did not have any red zone carries, as Jones-Drew received all the rushing attempts every time the Jaguars got close to the Indianapolis goal line. Taylor did not receive much attention in the passing game, either.

Week 8 - Taylor ran hard, using more power than quickness as he tried to overpower Tampa Bay's smaller, speedy defenders rather than try to outrun them. Although he proved difficult to bring down on first contact, Taylor was unable to gain many yards in large part to the Buccaneers having multiple defenders coming after him on every carry. Taylor had 24 carries but was not on the field during Jacksonville's two red zone possessions.

Week 9 - Taylor ran very well, using more power than quickness in taking on the Saints' defenders. He too had limited opportunities due to the Jaguars having to rely on the passing game to try to catch up after giving up 21 unanswered points, and this limited his productivity. He was solid when he ran the ball, averaging just over four yards per carry. Taylor was involved on one play in the red zone, but did not have any other opportunities close to the end zone.

Week 10 - Taylor ran well, and appeared on the verge of breaking loose for big gains on a couple of occasions, but was unable to get past the secondary defenders. Taylor did achieve a significant milestone, going over 10,000 yards for his career on his longest gain of the day. He made the most of his one opportunity in the red zone, scoring a touchdown.

Week 11 - Taylor turned in a very workmanlike performance of 85 yards on 20 carries (4.25 YPC). It was his ability to constantly move the chains and elude first tacklers that really helped to set up Jacksonville's deep passing game. Taylor nearly scored on a nine yard run to the one yard line, but he was spun down to the ground just before he was able to get in. In fairness to him, he did have to fight for several yards just to get as far as he did, and probably should have been taken down around the five yard line or so. In compiling his 85 yards, he passed former Jaguars WR Jimmy Smith for the most yards from scrimmage in franchise history.

Week 12 - Taylor gained a season high 104 yards on the day with 50 coming on a touchdown run in the first quarter. He is still the number one running back in Jacksonville as long as he's healthy.

Week 13 - Taylor looked especially spry, breaking free for extra yards by using quickness to make defenders miss several times during the game. This was especially impressive against a Colts defense known for its speed and quickness. Taylor averaged 7.42 yards per carry and ran decisively between the tackles, then using his quickness to bounce several runs outside for significant gains.

Week 14 - Fred Taylor had a huge game running for 132 yards on 18 carries. Throughout the game, Taylor ran hard breaking a number of tackles. From the Carolina 20 yard line, Garrard hit him on a short pass that Taylor took down to the two yard line. Later in the game, Taylor picked up four yards to the Carolina seven yard line. He didn't get another chance on that drive. Late in the third, Taylor got a carry from the three yard line but lost two yards. His highlight was an 80 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Taylor made a couple of quick cuts and was gone right up the middle. Taylor did fumble in the game when the defender put his helmet right on the ball and it flew backwards for a 21 yard loss. The defense would hold Carolina to a field goal.

Week 15 - Taylor had his fourth consecutive 100 yard game and his best rushing effort in more than two years. He ran hard and broke tackles frequently. Taylor, who last week moved into the eighteenth spot on the all time rushing list, went over the thousand yard mark for the seventh time in his career. He has the most career rushing yards of any player, who has failed to make the Pro-Bowl. Taylor had six runs of at least ten yards, including a 38 yard burst and a 12 yard touchdown run that sealed the game. Taylor now holds the opponent's records for rushing yards in a game and for his career at Heinz field.

Week 16 - Taylor scored on the second play from scrimmage, a 62 yard rush through the middle. He only had seven carries on the day, and that's all the Jags needed from him. He finished the day with over a hundred yards.

Week 18 - Fred Taylor rushed for only 48 yards on 16 carries. He did manage to get a rushing touchdown, but there was not much to be had against the stingy Steelers rush defense. He often turned nothing into something; however there just was not much to be had.

Week 19 - Taylor ran with determination but did not have much room to operate against a tough New England run defense although he was one defender away from breaking a long run on a couple of his carries. Although he had two rushing attempts inside the ten yard line, he was unable to get to the end zone.