Congratulations to Fred Taylor as yesterday he was announced Offensive Player of the Month for the AFC in December. It marked the first time in Taylor’s ten year career that he has been chosen for this award and also the first Jaguar to win the award since wide receiver Jimmy Smith was picked in 1999. Taylor ignited the top ranked rushing offense in the AFC. And in December he proved why, by racking up 494 rushing yards on 64 carries to go along with 3 touchdowns.

Taylor averaged a league high 123.5 yards per game in the season’s coldest month including 5 consecutive 100 yard games. The defining game for Taylor and his team came in week 15 when Jacksonville went to Pittsburgh and eked out a hard fought win. Taylor set the tone by running for 147 tough yards and the deciding touchdown run of 12 yards with less than 2 minutes left in regulation.

With Taylor winning the Offensive Player of the Month award, it marked the first time this season that a New England Patriot did not. Quarterback Tom Brady won the award for the first two months of the regular season and his main target Randy Moss won the honor in November. If Freddy can continue his resurgence tomorrow night in the wild card round of the AFC playoffs then there is a good chance Taylor will be showcasing his ability in front of Brady, Moss and the rest of New England at Gillette Stadium. However, the Jaguars will have to get past the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night in the most anticipated first round game in the NFL. The Jags will need Taylor to be at his best as it will be a physical football game that will be decided by the effectiveness of the run by Jacksonville.

Taylor wouldn’t want it any other way.