(06-22-2022, 07:41 PM)mikesez Wrote:

(06-22-2022, 06:40 PM)Predator Wrote: Taylor wasn't a very good short yardage runner. He was a boom or bust guy.

Fred would get stuffed at the line of scrimmage far to often to be relied on in short yardage situations.

Fred got his YPC by getting stuffed, stuffed, and then breaking one for 20 yards.

Taylor wasn't pulled in goal line situations because coaches wanted to ruin his stats. People like Stacey Mack and MJD were just better in short yardage situations. Fred took yardage in chunks. These guys were better at getting the tough yards.

I've heard that criticism before.  Unfortunately, it can't really be shown from stats. No one keeps track of median yards per carry, and people disagree about if it would even be useful.
But we can see 1st down efficiency in the stats.  That's about as good of a measure of "boom or bust" as you're going to get.  Fred's 1st down efficiency was about 0.21 first downs per carry.  It's not the best number, but Marshawn Lynch was about the same.  Fred definitely deserved more goal line nods than he got, and even so, his touchdown total is respectable.

I don't need stats. I watched every game he played as a jag.

But if you want to use stats, Stacey Mack got a 1st down or TD on about 30% of his carries for his career. Fred taylor was under 24%. MJD was just under 27%. In 2002 Mack scored more TDs and only 9 less 1st downs on 1/3 of the carries that Taylor had.

Taylor had no torque. He didn't have power until he got his RPMs up. If Taylor got to the second level, he was the most dangerous runner in the game. He just wasn't very good at pushing his way through the line of scrimmage. If he were better at that, he would have had 2000 yrd seasons and be a first ballot HOF.

Give Taylor an opening, he would gash you. If there was no opening, he would usually go down at the LOS.

He just was never that guy who could put his head down and fall forward for a couple of yards very often. Fast twitch muscle guy .

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