By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

 

Cornerback Ike Taylor has seen the clip time and time again. It’s hard for him to avoid. It’s been shown on every national sports TV show and on the local Pittsburgh sports reports as well.

 

“Every time you see a preview of this game you keep seeing that first play shown over and over again,” said head coach Bill Cowher. “So he’s going to live with that. We don’t have to say much about that anymore.”

 

That play was an 80-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison on the Colts first offensive play of the game when the two teams met on Monday Night Football back in November. Harrison headed straight down field, had Taylor beat by about seven yards, pulled in the pass from Manning and headed right into the end zone, putting the Colts up 7-0 in an instant.

 

“I watch it all of the time. It happened,” said Taylor. “Coach always says don’t give up the big play. It was a big play I gave up. Unfortunately it was the first big play. I think it set the momentum for the game. It happens.”

 

The Steelers were in a cover-three and Taylor, by his own admission, got caught looking in the backfield, a mistake he won’t make again.

 

“As a corner you have to get over it,” said Taylor. “It was a mistake I had to learn from. I learned from it. I hope it doesn’t happen again.”

 

Taylor has a chance to make up for it this week. But don’t look for him to be out there taking chances to make a name for himself, to try to erase that play by being foolishly overzealous.

 

“Now I am in a position where I have an opportunity to play them again,” said Taylor. “I guess you can look at this as redemption, but we are in a position where we are in the playoffs and I just would like to help my team even more to go even further.”

 

That play aside, Taylor has had a solid season against some pretty good receivers, including Cincinnati’s Chad Johnson who he kept in check in three meetings this season.

“Ike has played well,” said Cowher. “Ike has taken that challenge on about mid-way through the season. We started to putting him on some of the premiere guys because of his ability to match up size-wise, athletic ability-wise and he’s taken that on as a challenge. He goes out there and practices every day. He’s looking to get better every day. He’s taken a big step this year.

 

“Now he’s got a chance to come back and look to play a little bit better than he did last week and I think he will. This will be a big one. He’s a good football player. He’s learning and he’s growing tremendously. The strides he’s taking from the beginning of the season to where he is now is something he will build on and I think the best is still ahead of him.”

 

He is just hoping some of that best play will take place this Sunday in Indianapolis. Taylor expects to be tested by Manning early and often.

 

“No question,” said Taylor. “Why not? If I was their offensive coordinator, if I was Peyton, I would come right back at me. “

 

And if they do, does he think he is up for the challenge.

 

“Most definitely,” said Taylor.