Alontae Taylor will be the first to admit that his reaction to being pulled from the game in a Week 16 loss to the Rams wasn't the best.
The second-year pro had been beaten "with his eyes" multiple times with the Rams' frequent use of motion. He was replaced by Ugo Amadi with the Saints trailing 30-7 in a game that ended 30-22. Taylor said several players spoke with him on the sideline, and he's choosing to see it as a learning opportunity as he prepares to return to the starting nickel corner job in Week 17.
"I feel like for me it was moreso just trying to make too many plays instead of letting the plays come to me," Taylor said, standing in front of reporters in the locker room on Wednesday. "So I’ve got to look inside and just do my job, just put my eyes in the right place."
Taylor is certainly owning his mistakes, noting that with the motion he missed some situations where needed to kick out to cover a receiver or tight end, and in doing so wasn't able to fit runs appropriately. It was a level of candor, maturity and accountability that belies the 25-year-old's limited experience in the NFL, and a trait that he credits to his grandmother, who instilled that in him from a young age.
"A learning lesson for me, but I’ve grown from it," he said, "so now we’re getting ready for Tampa."
The veteran leadership across the Saints' roster was clear and helpful for Taylor in that moment. Each of QB Derek Carr, WR Keith Kirkwood and safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Johnathan Abram gave him pep talks and encouragement on the sidelines. Taylor ultimately rose from the bench and cheered on Amadi and his teammates throughout the final minutes of the game, though the comeback attempt fizzled with the defense unable to get a stop on the game's final possession.
Carr said in the moment he didn't even know what Taylor had been pulled and still doesn't, but applauding the way the young player has bounced back during the week. The QB knows a thing or two about being benched. He told the story about how he was once benched in 7th grade for changing a play, and, of course, he was benched the final two games of the 2022 season as a member of the Raiders.
Related
"We’ve all had moments that weren’t our best, in life, in football, and I don’t even know what his moment was, I really don’t, but maybe it wasn’t his best and you know that’s it’s good to have someone to put their arm around you and encourage you, but also push you in the right direction," Carr said. "There was a couple of guys doing that and that’s one thing I really appreciate about this team is we’re all trying to help each other. We all know how hard it is to be successful and do things right in this league, so when it doesn’t go your way it’s good to have brothers there for you.”
Taylor has had his ups and downs in Year 2, a season that began with a traning camp competition for outside corner that was won by Paulson Adebo. Taylor shifted into a nickel role with the team releasing veteran Bradley Roby among their final cuts. Taylor has appeared in all 15 games, rolling up 70 tackles and 12 passes defensed, though he is still chasing that elusive first career interception.
Going forward the Saints will face a Bucs team that doesn't use motion, or as Dennis Allen would call it, "eye candy" nearly as frequently as the Rams. Still, as Taylor points out, when they see on film how much that troubled the Saints scheme out in L.A. they could certainly opt to do that more often. Taylor says he's been watching the film from the Rams game long and hard, and he'll be ready for whatever the Bucs try to throw at him.
“I’m ready for it," Taylor said. "Those guys, they’ve been doing their thing this year, a really good receiver corps. So looking forward to the challenge in Tampa and New Year’s Eve, so let’s bring in a new year the right way.”