Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month by the NFL today. During the month of December, Taylor started four games and rushed for 494 yards on 64 carries (7.7 avg.) with three touchdowns. The Jaguars were 3-1 in those games. He did not play in the season finale at Houston.

The 10th-year veteran finished the regular season with five consecutive 100-yard rushing games which ranks as the second-longest streak in team history. He posted five touchdown runs with a team-record 80-yard run against Carolina and a 62-yard run against Oakland. He scored on a 12-yard game-winning score at Pittsburgh, along with his 147 rushing yards which set the Heinz Field record.

"It's a good honor," said Taylor on the AFC Offensive Player of the Month award. "I have worked hard, but all the credit goes to my offensive line and my fullback, Greg Jones. We've got to keep going, though, we got to keep going."

The 6-1, 228-pound running back has rushed for 1,202 yards and five touchdowns this season and registered a career-high with a 5.4-yard average on 223 carries. This is Taylor's first career AFC Offensive Player of the Month award and he is the first Jaguar to be so honored since wide receiver Jimmy Smith won in December of 1999. Linebacker Mike Peterson won AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors in December of 2005.

Taylor, a former first round pick of the Jaguars in 1998 out of Florida, moved into 17th place in the NFL history on December 23 as he surpassed Ricky Watters (10,643) with 10,715 career rushing yards. He also tied Jimmy Smith's team record with 69 career touchdowns and set the team record with 12,978 all-purpose yards.