[sportscurmudgeon]

Matty:

Since you asked...

Given that he was the first defensive player taken in the draft, the standards for his rookie season are set pretty high. I'd say he failed to meet those standards most of the time.

His coverage blunder cost us the 2nd Dallas game. Yes, I know if the offense had scored 42 points that day the Cowboys would never have been in the position to win the game. That argument is bogus because I can turn it around and say if the defense had pitched a shutout up to that time the TD woud not have mattered either. Fact is the TD decided the game and Testaverde (not Unitas or Montana or Elway ) schooled the freelancing kid.

Contrary to what SkinsNCanes thinks, it was not Sean Taylor that caused Todd Pinkston to get alligator arms; it was Ryan Clark. Look at the play closely and #36 is the guy who is 5 yards behind PInkston straining to catch up; #36 is the guy beaten on the play.

In that same Eagles' game, Taylor was the one who was late to the coverage that gave Greg Lewis a catch at the Skins 2 yard line and then it was Taylor on the next play who did not wrap up on Dorsey Leavens as he went into the end zone for the winning score. That TD was the difference in the game.

I no longer have the tape of the Cleveland game but Taylor gave up the 4th down conversion on the Browns' final drive and was late in coverage on the final score. I THINK he also had a penalty on that drive too. While you can hang the Dallas loss around his neck, he can only share the blame for that loss.

So, if he cost the team at least two games all by himself by not making a big play when it was needed. Remember that two more wins would put the Skins at 8-8 and there are a couple of teams in the playoffs at 8-8.

So, I'd say that on-field performance for Taylor this year has been far below the standard that one might expect from the first defensive player taken in the draft.

And I need not mention his off-field performances on this day - the one where he has to stand trial for DWI. Of course he'll be acquitted and not be guilty in the eyes of the law becuse he has the money to make that happen.

I wonder if he'll use the courtroom steps this afternoon - after his exoneration - to announce that he wants his contract renegotiated or he will be holding out next summer...