Fred Taylor returns to practice

[DefenseRules]

Extra Points - New England Patriots News and Analysis - Boston.com

Colleague Monique Walker just passed on word to me that tailback Fred Taylor, out since the Baltimore game in Week 4, returned to Patriots practice today, which is being held in shells on the club's upper practice field.

Good News. I don't expect him to play this week, but it's good to hear that he's back on the field.

 

[Mack Herron]

Great news! Our best all-around back. Wonder if they will try to start working him in Sun.?

 

[BelichickFan]

He won't be back this week but he's on his way. Barring a catastrophe, we're in the playoffs, I still hope for the #2 seed but getting the team healthy and playing well in January is the important thing right now.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Thats a nice bit of good news to end the week.

 

[Patspsycho]

I would say we see him next week in the Carolina game.

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

Glad to hear it. The prognosticators seemed to be saying all season that if Taylor couldn't return sometime around the N.O. game, then he'd be IR'd. Here's hoping in January all people can talk about is how unstoppable the Patriots rushing attack and play action passing is.

 

[DarrylS]

Very good news..

 

[JSn]

I'd be more excited if we ever ran the ball...

 

[Mack Herron]

I'd be more excited if we ever ran the ball...

When they had workhorse backs they ran. Now they do.

 

[Tunescribe]

Unleash the four-headed monster -- Maroney, Faulk, Morris, Taylor! :rocker::woohoo::woot::yeeha:

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

We need him to move the chains and keep good QBs off the field because the defense oviously can't handle them very well

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

When they had workhorse backs they ran. Now they do.

My only worry is that in the first Jets game we were having success on the ground and for whatever reason Taylor barely touched the ball in the 2nd half. Regardless, this is still great news for us, even if he doesn't play in the next couple weeks, he'll most definately be back for that big Texans game and the playoffs. Awesome news.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Saying that we don't run the ball is a misconception. The ran it 20 and 23 times the first 2 games respecfully and since then as a team have averaged 31 carries a game.

It's playcalling, execution and having opposing defenses respect the running game enough to committ more personnel to the LoS.

O'Brien is still developing that coordinator's sense of using plays to set up another- a feel for the game so to speak.

With that said, my gut tells me that defenses respect Taylor more than they respect Maroney. That may help.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm still trying to figure out what the big deal is. I thought BJGE was the answer to all the Patriots problems because even though Maroney couldn't run at all, BJGE was awesome and just needed the opportunity to prove that he was ready to win multiple All-Pro recognitions....

Unless Taylor is going to play FB, WR3 and OL while tutoring Brady to help get his bloody head on straight, Fragile Fred is probably not going to make much of a difference.

 

[JackBauer]

The way Maroney has been playing, he's probably the best RB on the team right now. But having guys healthy is always welcome.

 

[HarkDawg]

Fred better stay healthy..... he is a great option for another RB.

 

[JSn]

The way Maroney has been playing, he's probably the best RB on the team right now. But having guys healthy is always welcome.

Maroney's been good, but he better hang onto his balls if he wants to stay the starter in the home stretch.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Maroney's been good, but he better hang onto his balls if he wants to stay the starter in the home stretch.

Its such a shame. Hes been running hard and pretty well. Now he has a little bit of the fumbleitis bug...

 

[JSn]

Its such a shame. Hes been running hard and pretty well. Now he has a little bit of the fumbleitis bug...

Didn't Faulk go through some similar issues to Maroney back in the day? I'm too new to following the team to have been there and a lot of the historical catch-up I've played hasn't gotten into this.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm still trying to figure out what the big deal is. I thought BJGE was the answer to all the Patriots problems because even though Maroney couldn't run at all, BJGE was awesome and just needed the opportunity to prove that he was ready to win multiple All-Pro recognitions....

Unless Taylor is going to play FB, WR3 and OL while tutoring Brady to help get his bloody head on straight, Fragile Fred is probably not going to make much of a difference.

You didn't notice? That's only because BJGE has ran so fast when he's been in there that nobody has seen him and thus, haven't been able to realize that he's been on the field winning us games.

And yes, this is great news. I wouldn't expect him back this week, or even next week in Carolina. But he'll be in the rotation for the final two weeks of the regular season (my guess) and will probably see extended time in Week 16 to prepare for the playoffs. We're going to need him healthy to help Maroney move the chains. Great news all around.