Del Rio: Taylor will start at RB
"Fred Watch" can stop, says Jaguars coach, who says veteran is in good shape.
Jack Del Rio has eliminated all the ifs, ands and buts.
The Jaguars coach made it official Monday: Fred Taylor will open the season as the team's starting running back Sept. 10 when the Jaguars play host to the Dallas Cowboys.
"I'm just telling you that he's come in in good shape and is having a good camp. I don't know why there's a 'Fred Watch,' " Del Rio said after he reviewed the Jaguars' 17-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers in their second preseason game Saturday night.
There was some question about the starter, as Del Rio would attach an "if" to his remarks about Taylor's status. He said such things as "if everything went according to the way we anticipated," Taylor would start.
Del Rio also was quick to praise Greg Jones, who seems to have recaptured the form he had at Florida State before he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament as a junior.
Del Rio said during camp that "roles will be determined over the course of the next three or four weeks.''
Taylor, who declined to comment Monday, decided the issue when he didn't miss a practice during camp after suffering a minor hamstring tweak in a conditioning drill before camp started.
Taylor, 30, skipped the team's offseason program to work out in the Miami area, but he reported in top shape and has impressed running backs coach Kennedy Pola.
In his second season as the Jaguars' running backs coach, Pola said he can tell the difference in Taylor from last year, when he was battling injuries and limited to 11 games.
"You saw bits and pieces of it [last year], but that's not what I'm looking at now. You don't give him any daylight, or he'll explode. He's practicing hard, and his attitude is that he's the man. I like that. He's one of those elite guys. I'm looking forward to watching him play,'' Pola said
Pola credited Taylor for making a third-and-1 on his own at the Carolina 35 in the first quarter Saturday, when there was a defensive player in the hole.
"He put his foot down on the ground and fought for that extra yard to give us a first down,'' Pola said.
Pola also said Jones has had a good camp and that scouts have told him that if Jones had been healthy coming into the draft in 2004, he would have been a top-10 pick instead of a second-round selection.
"He's been outstanding," Pola said.
Pola added said this is the best running back group he's coached, and he likes the depth he has with such players as Derrick Wimbush, Maurice Drew, Alvin Pearman and LaBrandon Toefield.
"They're a humble, hard-working group, and they have no egos," Pola said.
Del Rio declined to say whether he planned to rotate Taylor and Jones or give Taylor most of the load and leave Jones at fullback.
"My thoughts are we want to run the ball. We want to run it a lot. We're going to utilize the backs we have. If one guy is clearly deserving of the majority of the carries, then he'll get it,'' Del Rio said.
The Jaguars concentrated on the pass in the first two preseason games, as Jones and Taylor have each received only eight carries.
Del Rio noted that was double the four carries Taylor had in the preseason last season.
Jones ran for a total of 27 yards and Taylor 26 in the first two preseason games, and Taylor added 33 receiving yards on two catches.
Del Rio, though, indicated the Jaguars are waiting until the regular season to unleash their running game to ignite their offense.
Noting they worked on the run a lot in camp, Del Rio said, "When the regular season begins, you'll get to see us put the offense all together in its entirety.
"Right now, we're working on different situations. We'll be a good running team [this season]. We'll be a good offensive team.''
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Whats wrong with that statement? Lewis was injured during the first preseason game. Matt Jones had a very similar injury (IIRC high ankle sprain) before even the first intra-squad scrimage and was held out of the carolina game as a precaution. He should be ready to go.
they don't call him fragile fred for nothing. and the fact that jones looked very good in limited action last season, was said to have regained his burst, has been praised several times by del rio, who also mentioned earlier that jones had a chance to win job, naturally adds fuel to the educated guesses that taylor's job may not be as secure as it was 2-3 years ago.