No penalty was called on the hit against Owens and the penalty against Manning appeared to be questionable since Taylor hit the quarterback just as the ball was unleashed. It's evidence that Taylor is being scrutinized by the league, according to some Redskins coaches.
"When you start getting an accumulation of penalties, you get a red dot," said secondary coach Dewayne Walker. "There's no question. You want to try to harness it [the mean streak] a little bit but you don't want to take away the aggressiveness part of it."
Rookie Sean Taylor went four consecutive games with a personal foul or fine levied against him.
(Jonathan Newton -- The Washington Post)
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| ____ NFL Playoff Picture ____
NFC
Already In
• Eagles (13-2)*
• Falcons (11-4)
• Packers (9-6)
• Seahawks (8-7)
* Clinched home field.
The Other Two Spots
• Vikings (8-7)
• Rams (7-8)
• Panthers (7-8)
• Saints (7-8)
• The Vikings make the playoffs with a Rams loss or tie; or a victory against the Redskins.
• The Rams win the NFC West with a win and a Seattle loss.
• If the Rams lose, the winner of the Panthers-Saints game gets a playoff spot. AFC
Already In
• Steelers (14-1)*
• Patriots (13-2)
• Colts (12-3)
• Chargers (11-4)
* Clinched home field. The Other Two Spots
• Jets (10-5)
• Broncos (9-6)
• Bills (9-6)
• Ravens (8-7)
• Jaguars (8-7)
The Jets and Broncos earn playoff berths with victories. The other teams need victories and some help.
_____ Week 16 Results _____
Sunday
• Dallas 13, Washington 10
• Pittsburgh 20, Baltimore 7
• N.O. 26, Atlanta 13
• Houston 21, Jacksonville 0
• Indiana. 34, San Diego 31 (OT)
• Detroit 19, Chicago 13
• Cincinnati 23, N.Y. Giants 22
• New England 23, N.Y. Jets 7
• Buffalo 41, San Francisco 9
• Carolina 37, Tampa Bay 20
• Seattle 24, Arizona 21
• Miami 10, Cleveland 7
Monday
• St. Louis 20, Philadelphia 7
Saturday
• Kansas City 31, Oakland 30
• Denver 37, Tennessee 16
Friday
• Green Bay 34, Minnesota 31
What's Your Opinion?
• Who's going to win this week?
Two-Minute Drill
• Stars and stats from Week 16
_____ Pro Bowl Vote _____
Note: This is an unscientific survey of washingtonpost.com readers.
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The NFL says that Taylor is not being watched more than anyone else.
"When it comes to enforcement of our rules," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said yesterday, "we keep a close eye on all our players."
The league saw the Redskins' Nov. 21 loss to Philadelphia, when Taylor threw a forearm to Owens's jaw several yards from the play, leading to a penalty for unnecessary roughness. It was the first of three consecutive games that Taylor had at least one personal foul.
"I think it's worth it. That's his identity," Smoot said. "That's how he plays. Once you come into a new league, you have to learn the boundaries you can cross. No one wants to give away money. But that's growing pains for a rookie. He'll learn and it'll blow over."
Taylor's persona on the field is in stark contrast to his demeanor without a football uniform, said teammates and coaches. Taylor has declined all interview requests since an Oct. 28 arrest on drunk-driving charges. He is described by teammates as a quiet, self-effacing personality at Redskins Park.
"We knew he was a quiet guy and likes being by himself and everything, but he's a very intense football player," Coach Joe Gibbs said. "He goes out there to practice and he's diving all over the place and high-fiving guys."
Taylor did not start the first two games of the season, but his study habits have improved dramatically, coaches said.
Dallas Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells, whose team plays Washington on Sunday, believes that Taylor has progressed during the season, and he doesn't view Taylor as crossing the line.
"I never thought of it in those terms," Parcells said this week. "I just think he's an aggressive defensive player. And he's certainly improved as the year has gone on, and they are using him well."
