Fred Taylor

Would Bill Belichick keep a duplicate player for sentimental reasons?

Fred Taylor probably gets the most carries since week three. Appreciate them because these will be his last carries as a Patriot, maybe for his career as well. Sammy Morris could see his run in New England come to an end as well.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 17"

New England did it without RB Fred Taylor as he was held out for sixth game with foot injuries. 

This was vintage Patriots to the days they were the dominant team in the league winning two consecutive Super Bowls. The offense was unstoppable because it exploited opposing weaknesses. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 11"

With Faulk done for the season and if Fred Taylor continues to nurse a bad toe, the need for a workhorse will be obvious when the 2010 Draft rolls around. 

Unless the Patriots get lucky with a rookie free agent (Javarris James was signed from the practice squad to the active roster) or they make a trade by the trade deadline (It’s rumored Buffalo’s Marshawn Lynch is available, but he comes with baggage; New York Giants’ Brandon Jacobs allegedly asked for a trade), snagging a ball carrier in the amateur draft seems likely. 

Continue reading "Back of the Future"

After the second preseason game where RB Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris ran through the Atlanta defense, I lamented that I didn’t like that the team’s best running backs were injury-prone. Now every week is filled with nervousness following the trade of RB Laurence Maroney. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 2"

But ahead of the player nicknamed Law Firm are Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris. The pair missed 14 games last year. 

Discarding the flotsam known as Maroney made sense. Hopefully the trio

Continue reading "Maroney a Patriot No More"

gs I’m looking for: 

The Gator Family: Solid games by University of Florida alums (RB Fred Taylor, DL Gerard Warren, LBs Spikes and Jermaine Cunningham, and TE Hernandez) would help in a major way. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 1"

On just 17 carries, Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris combined for 106 of the Patriots’ 120 rushing yards. They also missed 14 games combined last year. Owner Robert Kraft’s decision to build Brigham and Women’s/Mass General Health Care Center as part of Patriot Place looks smarter by the day. Hopefully there’s an express lane just in case for Taylor and Morris. 

Continue reading "Pick Six: Preseason Game Two"

ng a challenger to his starting spot. 

With the injury history of the back-ups (last season Fred Taylor missed 10 games and Sammy Morris was sidelined four games), one would think someone new would be added to the mix. Anyone else (BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Chris Taylor, Clayton Thomas) doesn’t appear to be a legitimate threat. Kevin Faulk will remain the third down back. 

Continue reading "Starting 11"

But more of a concern is the durability of Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor. 

In three years with the Patriots, Morris missed 17 of 48 games. Taylor was out for 10 games in his first season with the Pats last year. The lack of durability for a pair of between the tackle runners age 34 (Taylor) and 33 (Morris) doesn’t bode well for the upcoming season. 

Continue reading "In the Running for Unga?"

need, with 1 being not a need and 5 being ugent: Runningback

Laurence Maroney, Sammy Moris, Fred Taylor, Kevin Faulk, BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Need: 3 

Most of Patriot Nation has given up on Maroney. I haven’t. If he runs like he did after the bye for a whole season, he could gain 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, health permitting. 

Continue reading "Draft Profile: Runningback"

I’d like him better than Fred Taylor because Jones is younger (31 to Taylor’s 34) and Thomas has been more durable. He missed just three games since 2004 to Taylor’s 22 games. I’m also concerned about the aging backfield, with Laurence Maroney the only RB younger than 30. Taylor and Sammy Morris (four last year, 17 since signing with the Pats in 2007) both missed games. Because the coaching staff won’t utilize BenJarvus Green-Ellis, he isn’t part of the conversation. 

Continue reading "Hours Away"

A few things I’m looking for: 

My Turn(over): RBs Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, and Fred Taylor will get carries, but it’s the drops (seven fumbles combined, six lost) that concern me. Ball security is paramount. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Wild Card"

Maroney was able to get away with it earlier in the season when RBs Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris were hurt. But after his fumble against the Jaguars, Maroney did not get another carry. 

Continue reading "Loose Laurence"

s: Good 

A few things I’m looking for: 

Taylor Time: It’s a the game RB Fred Taylor circled on his calendar since the beginning of the year. He better show the Jaguars what they are missing. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 16"

RBs Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris will get closer to returning to action, as will LT Matt Light. QB Tom Brady might have his hands full, thanks to his wife Gisele (lucky), but I’m sure he’ll sneak in extra work to fine tune his game. 

Continue reading "Good Bye"

That’s what is expected out of Maroney from now until Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor return to action. 

Of course Maroney can’t do it alone. In his defense, the offensive line hasn’t consistently opened holes for Maroney in the early part of the season. With the combined talent in the backfield, the ground game should improve on the 6th overall ranking from last year, averaging 142 yards per game. The ranking has more than doubled, dropping to 13th overall and gaining 116 yards per game. 

Continue reading "Staying On the Run"

ything else. 

A few things I’m looking for: 

More Maroney and Cheese: With RB Fred Taylor out, Laurence gets more carries if he’s productive. If he continues to be ineffective, he’ll collect splinters again. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 5"

rs ahead of him on the depth chart, particularly Laurence Maroney. 

Patriots leading rusher Fred Taylor will be on the shelf for an unknown period of time as he recovers from ankle surgery. This opens up the opportunity for Maroney to get the ball and run with it. 

Continue reading "Opportunity to Run"

way through tackles for 105 yards on 21 carries, it also comes with some apprehension. 

RB Fred Taylor showed he’s far from finished as a lead ball carrier Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. When his tag team partner, Laurence Maroney, went down with an injury, Taylor shouldered the load and it didn’t slow him down, as he averaged five yards per carry. 

Continue reading "Full Time Fred"

Free agent discard Fred Taylor grinded out 105 yards while Laurence Maroney was held out of the game with a thigh injury. Whether the boo-boo was real or a ploy to light a fire under Maroney, he should take it as a sign that carries are earned, not given. 

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 3"

Almost every step was forward with no stuttering. Looks like Fred Taylor is rubbing off on Maroney in a good way. 

Go for two: 1. Just wanna give props to LB Pierre Woods for forcing the fumble that led to the game-winning touchdown. You go boy! 2. Watching the Patriots in the vintage uniforms had me thinking of Ray Agnew, Fred Marion, Pat Harlow, and Robert Perriman instead of the current players. Update the jersey to the 80’s version and change the facemask from gray to red, and you have the best uniform in the league with the greatest team sports logo in the history of sports.

Continue reading "Pick 6: Week 1"

Let’s see what Maroney and RB Fred Taylor do catching passes out of the backfield. 

Overrated, but Wanted: Sacks. The players and coaches say they are more interested in creating pressure. Please! The Patriots didn’t have much of either last year with just 31 sacks. Can they create the pressure that leads to sacks against a questionable Buffalo offensive line? 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 1"

And Fred Taylor will help a healthy (for now) Laurence Maroney carry the load at running back. 

But a shoddy defense held the Patriots back last year. 27 touchdown passes allowed, second most in the league. The 30th-ranked red zone defense in the league. And a pedestrian 31 sacks. The unit had to be fixed. 

Continue reading "Out of Reach"

Greg Lewis and Fred Taylor were targeted twice with no results. The new guys still aren’t in-sync with the rest of the offense. 

More Mac-aroney, please – Maroney ran pretty well, but Laurence as a receiver looked natural catching passes and making plays in space. It’s a part of his game he might expand on this year and it looks promising. 

Continue reading "Pick Six"

aren’t high on RB Laurence Maroney, there’s a lot to like about the backfield. 

Fred Taylor, though he has a lot of mileage, has a productive history and is durable. Sammy Morris is a punishing runner that comes up big when on the field. BenJarvus Green-Ellis was an unexpected surprise last year as a rookie free agent. He gained the trust of the coaches and fans to be counted if his number is called. And Kevin Faulk is a top notch third down back, a playmaker as a runner or as a receiver. 

Continue reading "Half Full Backfield?"

When they did run, Fred Taylor, in his first preseason action, looked fine. BenJarvus Green-Ellis was nice, except for the fumble. 

Alex Smith – New England gave up a draft pick f

Continue reading "Pick Six: Preseason Game 2"

During Fred Taylor’s first four years in Jacksonville, he missed 24 of 64 games. Viewed as a fixture on the sideline instead of on the field, fans labeled the former Florida Gator running back “Fragile Fred.” 

Continue reading "Follow Fred's Footsteps, Laurence"

nd quarterback-turned receiver Julian Edelman. 

The running backs feature Laurence Maroney, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. 

Why in the world do the Patriots need Michael Vick for? 

Continue reading "Signing Vick ?"

A healthy Laurence Maroney can slash through zone blocking for chunks at a time. And new arrival Fred Taylor is a considerable upgrade over LaMont Jordan. 

This could be a make-it-or-break-it year for Maroney. Fans, including me, were hoping he’d get replaced because Laurence was hurt often. Last season’s shoulder injury, which cost Maroney 13 games, was seen as the last straw. Fortunately the coaching staff has more patience. 

Continue reading "Camp Countdown"

how the depth chart looks all healthy backs will get a chance to carry the rock. 

Free agent Fred Taylor will certainly make things interesting for Laurence Maroney, but Maroney has the one thing the other three top RBs on the roster dont: young legs. Sammy Morris has been reliable when not hurt in his two years with the Pats.

Continue reading "Top 5 New England Patriots Training Camp Battles"

If Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris stay healthy, they are joined by Fred Taylor and have depth provided by BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Add third down back Kevin Faulk and the Pats have a rotation that enables them to run all day long if needed. 

Continue reading "Brady Back, but Patriots Still Not Complete"

Of course the Pats aren't sitting free agency out. RB Fred Taylor should be an upgrade over Jordan, and TE Chris Baker is a reliable target that should fit in well in the offense.

What's next for the team? They apparently talked with former Detroit Lion WR Mike Furrey. He would be an ideal fit as a third wide out. Also brought in have been CB Chris Carr and QB Patrick Ramsey. And with a gaping hole at OLB, there's a rumor that DE/OLB Jason Taylor, recently released by Washington, is generating interest from the Pats.

Continue reading "Early Returns on the Trade"

They signed RB Fred Taylor and TE Chris Baker, two vets that can make a contribution immediately. This isn't good for the likes of RBs LaMont Jordan or Laurence Maroney and TE David Thomas.

Continue reading "The Unexpected, As Usual"

England's favor.

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Staying in the backfield, recently released RB Fred Taylor will visit with New England and Buffalo as he looks for a new team to play for after eleven years with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Continue reading "Three Points"