PITTSBURGH -- Veteran fullback Sam Gash, brought back this season by the Ravens for his wisdom as much as anything else, imparted a little on a dejected Chester Taylor after yesterday's game.
Taylor fumbled a kickoff return in Pittsburgh's 34-31 win at Heinz Field, and the Steelers converted the costly fourth-quarter turnover into a go-ahead touchdown. It soured an otherwise productive day for Taylor, who returned an earlier kickoff 54 yards and also scored a touchdown.
Afterward, Gash, whose locker was next to Taylor's in the visiting dressing room, delivered a simple but effective message.
"He said things happen; don't put my head down and kill myself over it," Taylor said. "I'm going to keep my head up, and I'll be all right."
That may be good news for the future of the Ravens (7-9), whose loss officially eliminated them from the playoffs.
Taylor became the team's third-down back midway through the season and received an increasingly active role in the offense over the past few games in relief of Jamal Lewis.
His 20-yard touchdown on a dump-off pass from quarterback Jeff Blake early in the fourth quarter gave the Ravens a 31-20 lead and was his second of the season. On third-and-seven from the Steelers' 20, Taylor found himself in one-on-one coverage, caught Blake's pass a little shy of the first down and turned upfield with nobody around him.
"The play was called, and the linebacker and I were one-on-one," Taylor said. "Blake threw me the ball, I didn't see anybody, so I just turned around and ran in."
Still, Taylor's day will be most remembered for the fumble. After Taylor's touchdown, Pittsburgh mounted a 67-yard touchdown drive that cut the Ravens lead to 31-26 (the two-point conversion failed).
Taylor fielded the ensuing kickoff at the Ravens' 23 but had to run from inside the 10-yard line to catch it. He never gained control of the ball and lost it altogether after taking a couple of steps. Steelers linebacker Larry Foote recovered at the 31-yard line.
"I had to run up there because I was on the 5-yard line, and it landed on the 20," Taylor said. "So I had to run like 15 yards up there. Stuff like that happens. I had it in my hands but I never had control of it, and it just came out.
"All game, he was kicking it deep to like the 5 or so, so I stood on the 5."
The Steelers scored on a 8-yard Tommy Maddox pass to Antwaan Randle El nine plays later for a 34-31 lead (the two-point conversion was successful).
"I knew it was a key play in the game," Taylor said. "I didn't know it was going to happen. I just shook it off and went out and played the next play."
Taylor came back to rush for 9 yards on two carries on the Ravens' final drive, one that ended in a Blake interception.
"For Chester Taylor, you have to feel for the young man," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "He makes the big play to get in the end zone, plays well for us all game and then the ball comes out. But these are all young guys that are making plays and are going to get better."
It was the second time this season Taylor served as the primary kickoff returner in place of Lamont Brightful (who did return punts yesterday). Taylor averaged 21.6 yards on five returns, and his 54-yarder in the second quarter set up an Alan Ricard 6-yard touchdown run.