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Taylor steps closer to the playing field
By Michael Vega
Globe Staff / December 19, 2009
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FOXBOROUGH - Although Fred Taylor was listed as questionable on the Patriots’ injury report yesterday, coach Bill Belichick believes the veteran running back was close to getting back on the field, possibly tomorrow at Buffalo.
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“Well, he’s closer every day,’’ Belichick said when asked about Taylor’s status. “He started practicing last week and this week he got better every day.’’
Taylor, who hurt his right ankle against Baltimore Oct. 4, confirmed as much after limited participation in a bone-chilling practice at Gillette Stadium.
“Feel good - feel real good,’’ he said. “It’s been a process like any other thing. I’ve just been trying to get myself back on the field. Whatever direction the staff, the coaches, as well as the trainers feel I need to take, so I can be ready for when I need to be ready.’’
Taylor, who underwent surgery Oct. 8, expressed his gratitude to the organization for “having enough patience to wait on me’’ and not putting him on injured reserve, which would have meant a premature end to his first season with the team.
“I’m [grateful] for not being on IR, giving me another opportunity, because my window isn’t getting bigger at this point in my career, it’s shrinking,’’ Taylor said.
Taylor loosened up before the Patriots’ 20-10 victory over the Panthers last Sunday in the hopes of getting back. “Just trying to get ready, going through the entire game day thing and seeing how it felt, but it didn’t work out, obviously,’’ he said.
So what was his prognosis for tomorrow’s game? With three games remaining in the regular season, was there a sense of urgency to get back?
“The thing is we have four perfectly healthy backs and strategically the coaches are going to put us in the best situations,’’ Taylor said. “It’s not like when I was ‘The Man’ [in Jacksonville] when there was a greater sense of urgency for me to get back. Trust me, I want to be back more than anyone, but what’s the smart thing to do? The smart thing is to make sure that I’m healthy enough that when I do get back out there, there aren’t any setbacks.’’
Given the progress Taylor has made the last two weeks, Belichick is confident he’s closer.
“It’s kind of what Sammy [Morris] did when he came back,’’ Belichick noted. “He came back and practiced for a while and you could see him getting better each day out on the practice field and at the end of the week you had a picture of where he was, then you start the next week and you see that jump.’’
By Michael Vega
Globe Staff / December 19, 2009
E-mail|Print|Reprints|Yahoo! Buzz|ShareThis Text size – +
FOXBOROUGH - Although Fred Taylor was listed as questionable on the Patriots’ injury report yesterday, coach Bill Belichick believes the veteran running back was close to getting back on the field, possibly tomorrow at Buffalo.
Discuss
COMMENTS (5)
“Well, he’s closer every day,’’ Belichick said when asked about Taylor’s status. “He started practicing last week and this week he got better every day.’’
Taylor, who hurt his right ankle against Baltimore Oct. 4, confirmed as much after limited participation in a bone-chilling practice at Gillette Stadium.
“Feel good - feel real good,’’ he said. “It’s been a process like any other thing. I’ve just been trying to get myself back on the field. Whatever direction the staff, the coaches, as well as the trainers feel I need to take, so I can be ready for when I need to be ready.’’
Taylor, who underwent surgery Oct. 8, expressed his gratitude to the organization for “having enough patience to wait on me’’ and not putting him on injured reserve, which would have meant a premature end to his first season with the team.
“I’m [grateful] for not being on IR, giving me another opportunity, because my window isn’t getting bigger at this point in my career, it’s shrinking,’’ Taylor said.
Taylor loosened up before the Patriots’ 20-10 victory over the Panthers last Sunday in the hopes of getting back. “Just trying to get ready, going through the entire game day thing and seeing how it felt, but it didn’t work out, obviously,’’ he said.
So what was his prognosis for tomorrow’s game? With three games remaining in the regular season, was there a sense of urgency to get back?
“The thing is we have four perfectly healthy backs and strategically the coaches are going to put us in the best situations,’’ Taylor said. “It’s not like when I was ‘The Man’ [in Jacksonville] when there was a greater sense of urgency for me to get back. Trust me, I want to be back more than anyone, but what’s the smart thing to do? The smart thing is to make sure that I’m healthy enough that when I do get back out there, there aren’t any setbacks.’’
Given the progress Taylor has made the last two weeks, Belichick is confident he’s closer.
“It’s kind of what Sammy [Morris] did when he came back,’’ Belichick noted. “He came back and practiced for a while and you could see him getting better each day out on the practice field and at the end of the week you had a picture of where he was, then you start the next week and you see that jump.’’
