Price: The growing legend of Fred Taylor
Anyone who has sat through a Bill Belichick press conference can tell you the Patriots’ head coach can hype an opponent with the best of them. By the time he gets through describing an opposing player on an opposing team, that player can often be seen as a combination of TV tough guy Chuck Norris (“There is no theory of evolution — just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.”) and former Saturday Night Live character Bill Brasky. (“Bill Brasky was a two ton man-mountain who could palm a medicine ball!”)
But, even by the Patriots’ standards, this week has been ridiculous: Since Sunday, the legend of Jacksonville running back Fred Taylor has gone from mere mortal to full walk-on-water deity. “Exceptional … [he’s] as good as anyone we’ve faced,” Belichick said. “Like a fine wine — he gets better with age,” said defensive lineman Richard Seymour. “I just saw that Fred Taylor is going to replace Willie Parker in the Pro Bowl. That’s long overdue,” said linebacker Mike Vrabel. Wherever you turned, there was someone ready to pay homage to Jacksonville’s No. 28.
The 31-year-old Taylor has had a great season, rushing for 1,202 yards. He is a well-deserved Pro Bowl pick for the first time in his career and is one-half (along with Maurice Jones-Drew) of a tenacious running tandem. But he’s certainly not the gridiron god the Patriots have made him out to be this week, especially when it comes to facing New England.
Against the Patriots, Taylor is the very definition of a hit-or-miss back. In New England’s postseason matchup with the Jags in the 1998 playoffs — nine years ago — Taylor finished with 162 yards and a touchdown, a sensational performance worthy of raves. But, against a Belichick-coached defense, it’s a different story: In a 28-3 loss to the Patriots in an AFC wild-card game at Gillette two seasons ago, Taylor was held to 24 yards. And, in his only regular-season game against the Patriots, he turned in a very pedestrian effort, rushing for 57 yards on 16 carries in a 2003 loss at Gillette Stadium.
When it comes to stopping Taylor and noodle-armed quarterback David Garrard, the blueprint was provided by the Steelers: Pittsburgh loaded eight and nine defenders close to the line of scrimmage and dared Garrard to beat them through the air. Taylor was held to 48 yards on 16 carries. Do this, and next week, Taylor will be a lot closer to Chuck E. Cheese than Chuck Norris.
Christopher Price is sports editor of Boston Metro and the author of “The Blueprint: How The New England Patriots Beat The System To Create The Last Great NFL Superpower,” published by Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press. He can be reached at christopher.price@metro.us.
