Sean Taylor
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Redskins Sean Taylor's problems are now between the lines

Dec/22/06 02:09 PM
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - Sean Taylor got fooled twice on the same play.

He bit when Donte' Stallworth faked an out pattern, then bit again when Donovan McNabb faked a handoff. A few seconds later, Stallworth was racing toward the end zone with Taylor trailing helplessly in his wake, having caught a deep pass from McNabb over the middle for an 84-yard touchdown.

This was the year Taylor was supposed to be the beast, "the best player in the NFL," according to teammate Clinton Portis. The Washington Redskins safety, who was in constant trouble during his first two seasons, finally had his legal problems behind him and was free to concentrate on terrifying receivers, quarterbacks and running backs league-wide.

Skins' Taylor does talking on the field

Dec/01/06 07:01 AM
ASHBURN - The Sean Taylor almost no one sees stood in front of his locker Wednesday as a small procession of news people came by, one by one, to offer congratulations on his being named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Taylor turned to face each person, flashed a bright, friendly smile, and replied, "Thank you very much."

But when someone asked for a few minutes of his time, a few words of wisdom, Taylor smiled again, shook his dreadlocked head and turned away.

Redskins' Taylor Put On the Hits Sunday

Nov/30/06 08:07 AM
When the Washington Redskins drafted Sean Taylor fifth overall in 2004, they envisioned afternoons like Sunday. Taylor would help stifle the run, hit like a linebacker, bruise receivers and track down long passes for interceptions. On Sunday, Taylor did all of that in a 17-13 victory over Carolina, but it was the highlight of an otherwise pedestrian season.

Taylor struggled along with the entire defense, languishing in coverage, racking up personal fouls and seemingly being out of sorts at times as the Redskins won only three of their first 10 games. On Sunday, he seemed at ease, dancing along with the rest of the players during timeouts and working with new starting safety Vernon Fox, who was filling in for injured Troy Vincent. With about two minutes to play, Taylor made a swooping, one-on-one tackle on wide receiver Drew Carter, driving him to the ground two yards shy of the marker on fourth down. When the Panthers drove again a minute later, Taylor read quarterback Jake Delhomme's long pass and intercepted it in the end zone to cement the victory.

"That game was testament to him as a player, his all-around tackling and going after the ball," Fox said. "You got to see every facet of his game Sunday, and we're just hoping that as the weeks continue to progress you'll see more of that. He's a great player, and when he's clicking on all cylinders you get to see those types of performances."

Sean Taylor Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

Nov/29/06 04:18 PM
Taylor posted six tackles, an interception and a pass defensed in Washington's 17-13 victory over Carolina. He made two key plays down the stretch to contribute to the win. He prevented a crucial first down with 2:16 remaining when Carolina's Drew Carter caught a short pass on 4th-and-6 but got stopped by Taylor two yards short of the marker. Taylor then sealed the win with an interception on the Panthers' final drive.

(seattlepi.com)

Taylor remains work in progress

Nov/29/06 08:09 AM
There was the third-and-8 play on which he covered for the cornerback and interrupted a potential drive-extending completion.

There was the third-and-14 play on which he gathered a head of steam and stopped the running back 8 yards shy of a first down.

There was the fourth-and-6 play on which he made an athletic, open field tackle, again stopping the play short of a first down.

And there was the victory-cementing interception with 55 seconds left.

Four keys plays in the Washington Redskins' 17-13 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. All made by safety Sean Taylor.

FBN Redskins Taylor's Troubles

Nov/22/06 11:00 PM
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - Sean Taylor got fooled twice on the same play.

He bit when Donte' Stallworth faked an out pattern, then bit again when Donovan McNabb faked a handoff. A few seconds later, Stallworth was racing toward the end zone with Taylor trailing helplessly in his wake, having caught a deep pass from McNabb over the middle for an 84-yard touchdown.

This was the year Taylor was supposed to be the beast, ``the best player in the NFL,'' according to teammate Clinton Portis. The Washington Redskins safety, who was in constant trouble during his first two seasons, finally had his legal problems behind him and was free to concentrate on terrifying receivers, quarterbacks and running backs league-wide.

Taylor no match for Giants WR Burress

Oct/09/06 10:05 AM
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Unlike much of the NFL, the New York Giants did not shy away from Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor in Sunday's 19-3 victory. Rather, when they had the chance to exploit him in pass coverage, they went right after him with Plaxico Burress.

Burress, who caught seven passes for 69 yards, got the majority of that yardage on a play on which he torched Taylor in man-to-man coverage. Later, he beat Taylor on a 2-yard scoring reception, the game's lone touchdown.

With the score tied at 3, Burress beat Taylor deep down the field and hauled in a 46-yard pass that led to a go-ahead field goal.

Redskins notebook: Reputation may hurt Taylor with refs, but Skins like his style

Sep/18/06 08:12 AM
IRVING, Texas - Is Sean Taylor's hard-nosed reputation working against him and the Washington Redskins?

The Redskins sent one of two personal fouls called against Taylor in the fourth quarter of Monday night's loss to Minnesota to the league office for review. The 15-yarder was called as a helmet-to-helmet hit on Marcus Robertson, and it kept the Vikings from having to punt from the shadow of their own end zone.

The league has announced that it will not fine Taylor for the hit, which replays showed seemed to have been made more with his shoulder than the helmet.

Flags often fly near Taylor

Sep/16/06 11:15 AM
There's no question Sean Taylor plays hard and often plays well. Taylor, the Washington Redskins' third-year, hard-hitting Pro Bowl safety in the making, is always going full speed -- from post-practice sprints to covering kickoffs to every defensive snap -- and played the second half of last season on a bum ankle.
    His helmet-rattling hits have produced plenty of oohs from crowds around the NFL.
    But like every safety, Taylor walks the line between clean hits and those that officials perceive as unnecessary shots against defenseless players. The conundrum -- which developed in 2004 and late in 2005 -- flared up again in the Redskins' season-opening loss to Minnesota on Monday.
    Taylor was called for two 15-yard personal foul penalties -- a late hit on Marcus Robinson and a face mask of Troy Williamson -- in the fourth quarter, and the second led to the Vikings' game-winning field goal. The first penalty was iffy at best and an egregious error at worst.

'Best Player' and 'Changed Man': Redskins Hope Taylor is Both

Sep/06/06 05:56 PM
SHBURN, Va. (AP) - Clinton Portis' expression turned serious at the mention of Sean Taylor. Portis is a showman known for hyperbole, and this time he wanted to make sure that his words would not be treated as a joke.

"We're talking about someone who I think probably is the best player in the NFL," Portis said. "Not best safety _ best player in the NFL."

Maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but it is true that there is a growing consensus that the Washington Redskins safety has the potential to be a once-in-a-generation player. He hits like a linebacker. He can cover like a cornerback. His intensity is unmatched. His face, hardened by tough inner-city experiences, rarely cracks a smile. On the field, he is one serious, mean dude.

No wonder former teammate LaVar Arrington nicknamed him "The Grim Reaper."

"He is the best football player I've ever coached," said assistant coach Gregg Williams, who has been at the trade for 17 years.