[sportscurmudgeon]

Matty:

Yes. Taylor tipped a pass which was intercepted last night. Good.

Yes, he is always "around the ball". The problem is that he is often there about a step and a half late. I remember all of his "highlight reel plays"; what I don't think others remember are those plays where he didn't get the job done. Go check the Eagles 3rd Q TD drive and you'll see three such plays last night.

How long until a player has impact in the NFL? For most QBs it is a couple of years. McNabb and Culpepper and Manning and Favre all had difficulties in their early days. But what they didn't do was perpetuate the same mistakes - with the exception of Culpepper who still fumbles waaay too much.

LBs and REALLY GOOD CBs and safeties can play in year 1. Most CBs take a year to develop and most play well by year 2. Rookie RBs can ve very good as can rookie WRs although WRs may take a year to learn the "allowable handfighting" in the NFL. Rookie OTs usually have problems; rookie OGs and Centers seem to do better. Rookie TEs are just fine.

Troy Polamalu (sp?) did not start for most of last year with Pitts but this year he has emerged as an outstanding young safety. With apologies to Mike Wilbon, Polamalu is not as big as Sean Taylor so he is not as imposing, but he is the better player.