Are the Steelers wide receivers a tough assignment for opposing cornerbacks? Panthers cornerback Keith Taylor does not think that Pittsburgh’s wideouts give opposing teams that much of a hard assignment. After the loss, Taylor spoke to reporters and said that the Panthers allowed the Steelers receivers to win with bad execution.
“I don’t think they were really that much of a hard assignment,” Taylor said. “I would say, I’ve just got to execute better. I practice every day. They practice every day. I just have to execute, just trust my technique instead of pressing all the time.”
The catch in this equation? Taylor allowed over 100 yards combined in the game. When he covered George Pickens, Taylor allowed two receptions for 53 yards on two targets according to Pro Football Focus. Then, Diontae Johnson toasted Taylor on four targets, hauling in all of those catches for 53 yards. All in all, all six targets thrown in his direction were completed and he allowed 106 yards.
Taylor is not wrong that he has to go back to the drawing board. He is a younger cornerback still growing from things, but the Steelers did go right after him because they viewed Johnson and Pickens as a mismatch after the C.J. Henderson ankle injury early on.
It was a wildly successful day for Johnson, who reeled in 10 catches on 10 targets. Pickens was targeted less than Johnson, but still racked up explosive plays and occupied Jaycee Horn all day. Taylor and Horn switched sides near the end of the first half, and that is when Johnson began to work against him.
“I’ve just got to execute,” Taylor said. “I know I’m a better player than what I showed y’all today. I’ve just got to bounce back from this and be better for the team. I take full responsibility and just feel like I’ve got to play better. That’s all it is.”