Center Brad Meester is ready to return to action and running back Fred Taylor would like to celebrate Meester’s return with a big game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Taylor needs 43 yards to reach the 11,000-yard career rushing milestone, but he needed just 53 yards to hit 11,000 when the Jaguars last played and he was just 72 yards shy two games ago. Needless to say, Taylor is off to a slow start in 2008, having rushed for just 242 yards in six games.
“I don’t know what’s worse, trying to get these 43 yards or trying to get the bailout,” Taylor joked.
His hope is that once he reaches the 11,000-yard mark, his season will blossom, just as it did last year when he reached 10,000 career rushing yards.
“As soon as I did it, that’s when my season catapulted. Hurry up and get this 11,000 yards thing out of the way so I can go about my business,” Taylor said.
Taylor and company will be facing a Browns defense that is 26th in the league against the run.
“Win, just win,” Taylor said of the Jaguars’ mindset as they returned to practice on Tuesday following their bye week.
“Rested and ready to go. We’ve got a big test this week,” defensive end Paul Spicer said.
Meester has been resting since the second day of training camp, after a torn right biceps forced him to have surgery and begin the long rehab process.
“We had set a goal for a couple of weeks ago,” Meester said of his return, “but there were some concerns about how well it was attached. It was still early. I don’t run that chance now. It’s 100 percent.
“It’s been tough watching. The moment is finally here and it feels good,” Meester said of his projected return to the starting lineup on Sunday.
At 3-3, the Jaguars find themselves in the middle of the AFC pack chasing two wild-card playoff berths. The Jags trail the division-leading Titans by three games and the Titans host the 3-3 Colts next Monday. As long as the Jaguars win on Sunday, they’ll gain a game on one of their AFC South competitors.
“We have to completely focus on (Cleveland). That’s one thing we were able to do last year,” Meester said.
“Just trying to pile up as many wins as we can back to back,” linebacker Mike Peterson said of the Jaguars’ goal, which is to get on a winning streak during what appears to be a favorable midseason stretch of schedule. “Yeah, we should win these games but you know as well as I do that this is the NFL and it’s a dogfight. After 16 games, we’ll lay down our cards and see where we stand.”