"Sometimes, reality hurts.

Fred Taylor knows this all too well. When the Jaguars cut the face of their franchise after 11 seasons, telling him they were putting their faith in a younger model named Maurice Jones-Drew, he received an official letter announcing the team's intentions.

He kept it.

"It went something like I wasn't able to perform up to the level of the players around me," Taylor said yesterday on a conference call. "That was the only thing that kind of made me hold onto getting cut a little longer. It made it a little harder to swallow and it definitely motivated me."

Now a Patriots running back trying to fight his way back from torn ankle ligaments, Taylor will face his former team for the first time Sunday. He fully participated in yesterday's practice for the first time since October and appears primed to make his much-ballyhooed comeback against the Jags.

But the reunion won't be all smiles and hugs.

Taylor said he has no hard feelings toward the Jaguars for cutting him after he earned 11,271 rushing yards for them.

"I think if it were the Detroit Lions," Taylor said, "I would prepare the same."

Taylor even called himself a "Jacksonville guy. I always will be." But he did offer a little tough love.

Taylor said he wouldn't be surprised if the Jags, given the waning fan support and bevy of TV blackouts, are relocated to Los Angeles. He didn't back down, challenging Jacksonville fans to start showing up.

"I don't want to offend anyone, but you got to be realistic," said Taylor, whose family still lives in Florida. "(Jacksonville) needs to have a 'Step Up to the Plate' campaign, 'cause there are some great die-hard fans. Then there are some that are fair-weather. The truth hurts. But (fans) have to show that they want the team to stay there."

In response, coach Jack Del Rio said Taylor has been popular because "he speaks straight from the heart and he's not trying to be politically correct."

It was not the first time Taylor has tweaked his former team. On Tuesday, he said the Jaguars don't watch as much film as the Pats do.

"I thought we watched a fairly decent amount of film (in Jacksonville)," Taylor told the Florida Times-Union. "But I guess I didn't."

Del Rio jokingly responded, "Evidently, he wasn't that veteran leader here having our guys watch the tape." Del Rio later added, "You know I love Freddy."

Yesterday, Taylor downplayed the drama, saying he would "never, never" take a shot at Del Rio."