Jaguars Then & Now: '09 MJD vs. '00 Freddy T

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Maurice Jones-Drew is having a phenomenal season and leads the NFL in rushing TDs through the first 11 weeks. It's the best performance from any Jaguar this season, but is it the best single season rushing performance in the franchise's history? To be the best, you have to beat the best and the best single season rushing performance by a Jaguar was probably Fred Taylor's 2000 campaign.

Although Taylor's 1,572 yards in 2003 is the most ever in single season for the Jaguars, his 2000 stats were accomplished in 3 less games and had double the touchdowns. So I'll compare the stats of the 2000 Fred Taylor season to those of 2009 Maurice Jones-Drew:

Carries/ Durability

FT: Fred's carries were cut short to start the year as he missed the first 3 games with a sprain in his left MCL. When he returned to action he still didn't carry the full load and was eased into the season with limited carries. However, once he was deemed fully healthy Fred was the feature back in Jacksonville and received all of the team's carries. Fred finished 2000 with 292 carries through 13 games, averaging 22.46 carries a game.

MJD: Maurice has managed to avoid injury through his first 10 games (knock on wood) and has been the feature back for the Jags. In two games, both against Tennessee, MJD received single digit carries driving down his carry average. Through the first 10 games Jones-Drew has received 194 carries, averaging 19.4 carries a game. However, in the last 3 games Maurice has received 78 carries, well over that average so it isn't unreasonable to expect the average to rise in coming games.

Advantage: Jones-Drew. Although Fred Taylor taking a heavier load is a small advantage for him, Jones-Drew has proven that it isn't an inability to do so that has caused these numbers. MJD has done what he has with less chances to do so. His durability this season (knock on wood again) is also an advantage over Taylor.

Yards

FT: Coming back from the MCL sprain Taylor's season started with 57, 24 and 54 yard performances, but exploded from then on. He went on a 9 game streak with 100+ yards in each, highlighted by a 234 yard domination of the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Fred finished the season with 1,399 yards rushing, averaging 107.6 yards a game and 4.79 yards per carry.

MJD: Maurice had a two game stretch with only 48 yards, only to follow it up with a two game stretch with 310 yards in the games directly following. Ironically his best game in yards as of yet was a game in which he only received 8 carries. Against Tennessee week 7, Jones-Drew finished with 177 yards on a very limited amount of carries. MJD has tallied 926 yards rushing through 10 games, averaging 92.6 yards a game and 4.77 yards per carry.

Advantage: Fred Taylor. Although the yards per carry are nearly identical, Freddy clearly has the advantage in yards per game. Couple that with the streak of 100+ games that still ranks 3rd all time, Fred has the category.

Touchdowns

FT: Entering week 10, Taylor had only 1 TD, but recorded 11 in the last 7 games. He totaled 12 touchdowns for the season and had he played a 16 game season, he would've paced to score about 15 touchdowns.

MJD: Maurice has found the endzone in all but two of his games this season. MJD had 3 TD performances against both St. Louis and Houston. If he were to continue the current pace he is on, Maurice would finish 2009 with about 21 touchdowns, a mark that would place him in a tie for 6th in single season touchdowns. 

Advantage: Maurice Jones-Drew. Easy pick. The little guy has a nose for the endzone and is already 69th all time among running backs at doing so.

Receiving

FT: Fred provided Mark Brunell with a good outlet at times and tallied 36 receptions for the season with 2 receiving touchdowns. He averaged 2.77 receptions a game with 18.46 yards receiving a game. 

MJD: Known as a multi-purpose back for most of his career, Maurice has been put into a role in which he has been the feature running back and not the receiver he was in the past. Through 10 games he has also tallied 36 receptions, but with 0 touchdowns. He has averaged 3.6 receptions and 23.8 receiving yards a game. 

Advantage: Toss Up. The stats from MJD are higher than Freddy T's, but the touchdowns add enough to Fred's case to argue it either way.

My Verdict...

Well it's definitely difficult to call and the final 6 games of the season for MJD will determine whether or not a clear cut winner can be named. Through his first 10 games, my opinion would be that the '09 MJD season has been better than the '00 season of Taylor. Interestingly in these two seasons, both players were/are 24 at the time.