Moeller: Rookie Taylor Has Jaguars Feeling Better About Their Running Game
(www.jaxsportsday.com) - It was important to see the Jaguars mount their comeback against the Saints and pull out a 24-20 victory.
The game certainly can serve as a motivator as well as ignitor for the rest of the preseason.
However, this is preseason where the outcome of the games really doesn't matter.
Instead, it’s the old-time adage on how you got there.
For the Jaguars, hopefully, it is a true indicator and not just one based on facing second- third-, and fourth-stringers.
What the Jaguars need this summer is to establish their running game.
Against the Saints, they may have taken the first step.
Behind rookie, free agent J’Mari Taylor, the Jags ran for 118 yards on 36 carries. Taylor paced the field with a workmanlike 78 yards on 22 carries.
When you look at 118 yards, it doesn’t seem like much. But the 36 carries are the difference. The heavy-pass offense Jags threw just 25 times behind the backup core of Nick Mullens, Joey Aguilar, and Carter Bradley.
With their running game likely defined during the season, Taylor might be the final piece of the puzzle behind the anticipated trio of Chris Rodriguez, Brayshul Tuten, and LeQuint Allen. Taylor rushed for 1.064 with 14 rushing touchdowns at Virginia last season, and was signed as a free agent in April.
But head coach Liam Coen had Taylor on his radar.
"Obviously, the season that Virginia had, and a lot of it had to do with his success and his ability to affect the game both in the run and the pass game as well," said Coen. "So people just bounced off of him in ways. He forced a lot of missed tackles, and he's super sharp."
Journeyman DeeJay Dallas also ran hard for his 26 yards on 10 carries, and he could emerge as a candidate.
Before the season, the Jags were apprehensive about their running game due to the departure of Travis Etienne to the Saints, and, ironically, he didn’t play in the preseason matchup.
Tuten and Allen figured to vie for the spot and the veteran Rodriguez was brought in as insurance.
If Taylor and Dallas continue to emerge, the Jags could suddenly find themselves with a balanced offense.
Coen possibly foresaw Taylor’s future in the Jaguars’ backfield.
‘That’s the kind of work you remember in August,” beamed Coen.
For Taylor and the Jaguars’ running game, their first preseason game could be a catalyst of things to come.
