Rookie Taylor Lone Bright Spot For Anemic Jaguars' Offense

The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the New Orleans Saints 24-20 on Saturday to open the preseason.

The Jaguars clawed their way back from a 20-6 halftime deficit, pulling out a hard-fought victory while showing a ton of grit and fighting spirit.

However, despite the victory, it was a putrid outing for Jacksonville's offense.

The offense was only able to generate  275 yards of total offense. The offensive line gave up four sacks and wasn't able to open many holes in the run game. The Jaguars averaged only 3.3 yards per rush and had a long run of only 13 yards.

Backup quarterback Nick Mullens was particularly bad, going 3-for-7 for 33 yards and an interception in the red zone. Even with the benefit of starting drives at the Saints' 32- and 7-yard lines, Mullens was unable to get the Jaguars into the end zone. In fact, both drives resulted in lost yardage before Cam Little connected on two of his three field goals.

With the rest of Jacksonville's offense sputtering all game, undrafted rookie running back J'Mari saved the day. Taylor finished the game with 22 carries for 78 yards and the game-winning 2-yard touchdown.

While Taylor's stats aren't eye-popping, he was the only member of the Jaguars' offense who could get anything going. He was able to keep the chains moving for Jacksonville, especially during a 17-play, 41-yard drive that was split between the third and fourth quarters. That drive took almost 10 minutes off the clock and resulted in a field goal to pull the Jaguars within three.

Had it not been for Taylor, Jacksonville would have had no shot at winning this game.

With Jacksonville's top-3 running backs set with Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and LeQuint Allen Jr., Taylor has been competing with veteran DeeJay Dallas for a potential RB4 spot. 

Taylor has looked strong throughout the offseason and has been building a case to make the 53-man roster. With their three top RBs not playing Saturday, it was clear that the Jaguars' coaches wanted an extended look at Taylor.

With 22 carries in a preseason game, Taylor was given the workload of a bell-cow running back, and he did not disappoint. With subpar QB play and a shaky offensive line in front of him, Taylor was Jacksonville's offense against New Orleans.

He clearly outperformed Dallas, who was only able to muster 26 yards on 10 carries. If the Jaguars keep a fourth RB to start the season, it seems clear (especially after Saturday's game) that job should go to Taylor.

Taylor had played well enough during offseason practices to warrant consideration for a roster spot. However, being able to continue his strong play in an actual game should count for more than anything he accomplished in practice.

He showed the ability to grind out tough yards and kept the sticks moving all game. Taylor was the star of the game, and was rewarded with the opportunity to score the game-winning TD, which he did.

Even though there are still two more preseason games remaining, Taylor's showing against the Saints may have secured his spot on the team, especially if head coach Liam Coen decides to play his starters in the upcoming games. If that is the case, neither Taylor nor Dallas is likely to get as much of an opportunity to state their case as they did tonight.

With Taylor in the fold, Jacksonville has a strong, balanced backfield that can roll four-deep during games to keep everyone fresh throughout the season.