"The difference between today's NFL and the one Fred Taylor feasted on for most of his 11-year career are obvious. Taylor thrived in the era of the feature back. James Stewart was the man in Jacksonville when Taylor arrived there in 1998, then Taylor took on the role, putting together seven 1,000-yard seasons.

But with the way the game's morphed, running back has become more of a two-man operation. Taylor saw it happen his last few years in Jacksonville as Maurice Jones-Drew emerged. "I was the starter,'' he said. "But I was a complement to Maurice.'' When he arrived in New England in the offseason, Taylor knowingly accepted the split gig as part of the job.

"In this day and age,'' Taylor said, "everyone wants a two-headed monster - two running backs that can have change-of-pace capabilities.''"