It's signed for our weekly Conversation with Pride of the Jaguars running back Fred Taylor. Jaguars eliminated. They're headed to Nashville. Two teams that are struggling, obviously, the Jags to and ten, the Titans three and nine. Fred and five games to go and eliminated. This is the earliest in a while. It's never fun in these Decembers.

It's signed for our weekly Conversation with Pride of the Jaguars running back Fred Taylor. Jaguars eliminated. They're headed to Nashville. Two teams that are struggling, obviously, the Jags to and ten, the Titans three and nine. Fred and five games to go and eliminated. This is the earliest in a while. It's never fun in these Decembers.

No, it's never fun, especially when you have two teams that were always considered rivals at this point in the season. This would be a meaningful game. You know, even if there was a team not making the playoff, there was a team that had a chance to play spoiler because other team probably was.

No, it's never fun, especially when you have two teams that were always considered rivals at this point in the season. This would be a meaningful game. You know, even if there was a team not making the playoff, there was a team that had a chance to play spoiler because other team probably was.

In position to win the division.

In position to win the division.

But it seems that everything is shifted to Texas a little bit further west, the Titans. The Titans aren't a very good team. The Jaguars aren't a very good team. But if I was a betting man, which I know I'm not betting on my Jaguar, I would certainly say I believe even this match up, the Jaguars are a better team. Considering the close games that they've been in, et cetera, et cetera. They've been through a lot, they're still finding a way to show some competitive grit. So my pick, which is always my pick, is the Jaguars for this matchup.

But it seems that everything is shifted to Texas a little bit further west, the Titans. The Titans aren't a very good team. The Jaguars aren't a very good team. But if I was a betting man, which I know I'm not betting on my Jaguar, I would certainly say I believe even this match up, the Jaguars are a better team. Considering the close games that they've been in, et cetera, et cetera. They've been through a lot, they're still finding a way to show some competitive grit. So my pick, which is always my pick, is the Jaguars for this matchup.

I don't remember the last time you picked against them, so that makes sense to me, Fred, And why not keep it going in Week fourteen? Fred, what do you make of the decision to shut Trevor Lawrence down for the rest.

I don't remember the last time you picked against them, so that makes sense to me, Fred, And why not keep it going in Week fourteen? Fred, what do you make of the decision to shut Trevor Lawrence down for the rest.

Of the season.

Of the season.

You know, I think it was a great decision. Is decision, you know, for Trevor. You know, I believe overall it was for the Trevor's future, his long term health, and also for the Jaguars future, you know, in the team's long term health as well, because it seems that the team is only going to go as Trevor goes, you know, with the investment recent leaders pass offseason and they secured him for another four years after this season. So I believe it was a great business decision, but more importantly, just a decision that allows the Jaguars to say, we are a high class organization. We don't care what's going to happen with We care what's going to happen with the rest of the season.

You know, I think it was a great decision. Is decision, you know, for Trevor. You know, I believe overall it was for the Trevor's future, his long term health, and also for the Jaguars future, you know, in the team's long term health as well, because it seems that the team is only going to go as Trevor goes, you know, with the investment recent leaders pass offseason and they secured him for another four years after this season. So I believe it was a great business decision, but more importantly, just a decision that allows the Jaguars to say, we are a high class organization. We don't care what's going to happen with We care what's going to happen with the rest of the season.

But as it pertains, the Trevor Lawrence.

But as it pertains, the Trevor Lawrence.

We are more concerned about his health and what we can help.

We are more concerned about his health and what we can help.

We can get him right now. So I thought it was a big decision.

We can get him right now. So I thought it was a big decision.

We called for it on the post game, you know, I was an advocate for saying, hey, maybe they should shut him down. And now that they've announced that he's shut down, he can have his procedure on his shoulder and so to just get better, you know, not just physically, but mentally. He can find himself in a good space and they can look now to start evaluating to see what they're going to do with the other guys by giving them opportunity to play.

We called for it on the post game, you know, I was an advocate for saying, hey, maybe they should shut him down. And now that they've announced that he's shut down, he can have his procedure on his shoulder and so to just get better, you know, not just physically, but mentally. He can find himself in a good space and they can look now to start evaluating to see what they're going to do with the other guys by giving them opportunity to play.

Brett Taylor with us. How many times in your career were you in a scenario like this with five games to go eliminated? It feels like you guys were a lot of times in the mix, but maybe a week or two to go would get knocked out and finish like five hundred or whatever. But have you been were you ever this early eliminated?

Brett Taylor with us. How many times in your career were you in a scenario like this with five games to go eliminated? It feels like you guys were a lot of times in the mix, but maybe a week or two to go would get knocked out and finish like five hundred or whatever. But have you been were you ever this early eliminated?

You know, I don't believe so, JP. That was years and years ago.

You know, I don't believe so, JP. That was years and years ago.

My rookie year is approaching thirty years, which is insane.

My rookie year is approaching thirty years, which is insane.

It's one of gray in that beard right now.

It's one of gray in that beard right now.

I got to say, I mean, you.

I got to say, I mean, you.

Know, my wife she likes the salt and peppers, so I ain't even tripper on the gray. But I don't know. I know we had a lot of competitive teams. I believe there was a five and eleven somewhere in there. Maybe, but then again I have to go and look and see. But I know a lot of times we were nine and seven rookie year, we were eleven and five then of course fourteen and two, ninety seven, ninety seven, maybe six, and I don't know, but we were always fairly competitive.

Know, my wife she likes the salt and peppers, so I ain't even tripper on the gray. But I don't know. I know we had a lot of competitive teams. I believe there was a five and eleven somewhere in there. Maybe, but then again I have to go and look and see. But I know a lot of times we were nine and seven rookie year, we were eleven and five then of course fourteen and two, ninety seven, ninety seven, maybe six, and I don't know, but we were always fairly competitive.

The question, though, is from a player's mindset, when you are eliminated and you still have a lot of work to go, and you're healthy, you want to stay healthy, but you're paid to play football, right, I mean, this is what's the balance of competitive nature there?

The question, though, is from a player's mindset, when you are eliminated and you still have a lot of work to go, and you're healthy, you want to stay healthy, but you're paid to play football, right, I mean, this is what's the balance of competitive nature there?

You know what even money aside.

You know what even money aside.

You know, competitive nature is just that it's just any like you're like people like you throw around.

You know, competitive nature is just that it's just any like you're like people like you throw around.

You gotta be that dog.

You gotta be that dog.

You know, you could be a gator and still be a dog, not a jarge of bulldog, but like a dog dog Like that's what I was. And I just love competing, and I had teammates that you know, hey, you knuckling up. I'm right there with you. But you can kind of look around the locker room and see some guys that kind of start to lose that sense of urgency. And I hope, I hope that this locker room has enough leaders, enough guys that you know, are embarrassed by the way this season turned out out where they want to go out there and they just want to, you know, knock a couple heads off, you know, literally, just to prove that, hey, I'm still me regardless of our record, you still got to deal with me. You know, I'm still kicking ass out here. So that's what it's about. And that's the mindset until you know the clock hit zero, you know, some at some point in January.

You know, you could be a gator and still be a dog, not a jarge of bulldog, but like a dog dog Like that's what I was. And I just love competing, and I had teammates that you know, hey, you knuckling up. I'm right there with you. But you can kind of look around the locker room and see some guys that kind of start to lose that sense of urgency. And I hope, I hope that this locker room has enough leaders, enough guys that you know, are embarrassed by the way this season turned out out where they want to go out there and they just want to, you know, knock a couple heads off, you know, literally, just to prove that, hey, I'm still me regardless of our record, you still got to deal with me. You know, I'm still kicking ass out here. So that's what it's about. And that's the mindset until you know the clock hit zero, you know, some at some point in January.

Bred Taylor with us.

Bred Taylor with us.

I mean, this is five games to go, man, and three of them in the division, so you know, and it's the strength of schedules, like the easiest in the NFL. The rest of the way, it's clearly all about the Jaguars though, and how they perform. They've been in all these close games this year, and you know, I guess it's not too late to find a killer instinct and win some of these games. They just haven't figured out a way to do it in the last seven times they've had a chance to do it. So why would they start now? How do you finish a football game this point in the season.

I mean, this is five games to go, man, and three of them in the division, so you know, and it's the strength of schedules, like the easiest in the NFL. The rest of the way, it's clearly all about the Jaguars though, and how they perform. They've been in all these close games this year, and you know, I guess it's not too late to find a killer instinct and win some of these games. They just haven't figured out a way to do it in the last seven times they've had a chance to do it. So why would they start now? How do you finish a football game this point in the season.

That's a great question, Japer, You hit it on the head. Why would they start now? I mean, just look around. I'm sure the scouting department they're looking at they've looked at the entire season. What's available on the college ranks? Uh, you know what they can possibly use where we need to get better at efforts across the O line, D line, you know, secondary receivers. I'll say that again, receivers. Arizona has a great young receiver who's gonna be a topick and most of these teams are sort of looking at, you know, draft picks. And this is a battle of the uglies these next couple of weeks. Uh, they play the Raiders. Who's up there, same record. The Jets aren't appealing in their record. The Titans again aren't too great in their record. So I don't know, right like, what do you do as a staff? You don't do do you I don't want to use the word tank. Do you just try stuff? Do you look around and try players? You know, not trying stuff. Isn't just trying different plays or gadgetry or any of that stuff. It's let's look at our roster and let's see, you know, in terms of evaluations, evaluating, let's see who we can possibly bring back next year. We can have a better look at this player. We didn't have an opportunity to look at him when the starters were there. Maybe we can look at this player a little bit more. Started to kind of taper down the starters a little bit, you know, for injury purposes and wear and tear, to hopefully get them to the offseason safely. But again, I'm not in those conversations. I'm not in the building. I don't know mindset of the front office, the staffing department, or scouting department.

That's a great question, Japer, You hit it on the head. Why would they start now? I mean, just look around. I'm sure the scouting department they're looking at they've looked at the entire season. What's available on the college ranks? Uh, you know what they can possibly use where we need to get better at efforts across the O line, D line, you know, secondary receivers. I'll say that again, receivers. Arizona has a great young receiver who's gonna be a topick and most of these teams are sort of looking at, you know, draft picks. And this is a battle of the uglies these next couple of weeks. Uh, they play the Raiders. Who's up there, same record. The Jets aren't appealing in their record. The Titans again aren't too great in their record. So I don't know, right like, what do you do as a staff? You don't do do you I don't want to use the word tank. Do you just try stuff? Do you look around and try players? You know, not trying stuff. Isn't just trying different plays or gadgetry or any of that stuff. It's let's look at our roster and let's see, you know, in terms of evaluations, evaluating, let's see who we can possibly bring back next year. We can have a better look at this player. We didn't have an opportunity to look at him when the starters were there. Maybe we can look at this player a little bit more. Started to kind of taper down the starters a little bit, you know, for injury purposes and wear and tear, to hopefully get them to the offseason safely. But again, I'm not in those conversations. I'm not in the building. I don't know mindset of the front office, the staffing department, or scouting department.

Excuse me, it's a lot, it's a lot.

Excuse me, it's a lot, it's a lot.

But as a player, you know, regardless of what they're doing in the front what I've always said was I'm here to play ball, you know, I'm here to ball until somebody pulls me out. I remember somebody pulled me out when I was close to some incentives tou once upon a time. That's a whole different conversation, isn't it like I'm drifting.

But as a player, you know, regardless of what they're doing in the front what I've always said was I'm here to play ball, you know, I'm here to ball until somebody pulls me out. I remember somebody pulled me out when I was close to some incentives tou once upon a time. That's a whole different conversation, isn't it like I'm drifting.

That's actually right up our alley. If we want to go down this path today.

That's actually right up our alley. If we want to go down this path today.

I am drifting. I mean, we need a little excitement this late in the season. Right, Well, I digress. I won't even bring it up. But hopefully you know, as a player, man to a man, uh, these guys have the mindset of one.

I am drifting. I mean, we need a little excitement this late in the season. Right, Well, I digress. I won't even bring it up. But hopefully you know, as a player, man to a man, uh, these guys have the mindset of one.

I have to compete, you know. That's what I was born to do.

I have to compete, you know. That's what I was born to do.

I do it every single day, and that's what I'm going to do to finish this season.

I do it every single day, and that's what I'm going to do to finish this season.

Right, You're the best, even though you didn't catch all your incentives.

Right, You're the best, even though you didn't catch all your incentives.

Okay, we'll get them next year.

Okay, we'll get them next year.

It was one cold winter day in Kansas City and I was yanked from the game. I was close to seven fifty.

It was one cold winter day in Kansas City and I was yanked from the game. I was close to seven fifty.

That's a rhyme.

That's a rhyme.

That's a rhyme. Sometimes I can be a little witty, sometimes a little silly, sometimes a little gritty without hitting the gritty, you know what I mean. Fifty to fifty, that's one hundred percent. Okay, I'm done.

That's a rhyme. Sometimes I can be a little witty, sometimes a little silly, sometimes a little gritty without hitting the gritty, you know what I mean. Fifty to fifty, that's one hundred percent. Okay, I'm done.

Thanks Fred. We'll talk to you later, man, all right, bro Later

Thanks Fred. We'll talk to you later, man, all right, bro Later