Taylor Having a Star Studded Season for Steelers D

From: Pro Football Weekly

Steelers CB Ike Taylor is known for several things. Some are flattering, such as very good physicality for his position, as evidenced by his robust tackle numbers throughout his career. Also, his interception deep in Seahawks territory early in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XL kept the Steelers in the lead, one they would not relinquish.

But Taylor is also known for not having exceptional hands, a factor that has no doubt led to relatively low interception totals over the years. Entering Week 15, Taylor had eight interceptions in six NFL seasons, and he had logged 57 starts in that span. In short, he hasn’t been wanting for opportunities. In fact, the longest pass play the Steelers have surrendered this season was a 65-yard TD by the Colts’ Reggie Wayne that bounced off Taylor’s fingers and into Wayne’s hands.

A league scout recently told PFW that the fact that Taylor “doesn’t have very good ball skills” keeps him from being among the elite at his position. However, the scout thought Taylor was worthy of Pro Bowl consideration. “He’s been playing well,” the scout, speaking on condition of anonymity, told PFW. “He doesn’t get the recognition. He seemed like he was on the verge last year.”

The 6-2, 195-pound Taylor has long seemed like he was on the verge of a breakout season — one that finally appears to have come in his sixth NFL campaign. Taylor has only one interception, but it was an impressive effort: in Pittsburgh’s Week 14 win vs. Dallas, he baited Cowboys QB Tony Romo into thinking Terrell Owens was open, then snagged the ball when Romo didn’t get enough elevation on his throw.

Taylor surrendered Dallas’ only touchdown when Romo found Owens in the back of the endzone in the third quarter, but this came only after Romo, in an amazing individual effort, scrambled free and made a perfect throw on a play that left Taylor in coverage for nearly 10 seconds.

Taylor, who reworked his deal in July, is signed through 2010 at a salary-cap number of a little more than $6 million in the next two seasons. All things considered, it’s a reasonable deal for the Steelers, who have patiently developed Taylor over the years and have reaped the rewards. A key part of the Steelers’ ’05 title team, Taylor may be better than ever.