Browns’ Phil Taylor on Ben Roethlisberger: ‘When I play against him, he’s going down.’ Golf Tips

Browns’ Phil Taylor on Ben Roethlisberger: ‘When I play against him, he’s going down.’

April 26, 2011, 8:51 pm

Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Phillip Taylor answers questions at an NFL football news conference at the team’s headquarters in Berea, Ohio Friday, April 29, 2011. The Browns took the former Baylor lineman with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the draft Thursday night. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

Browns fans have a new super hero. His name is Phil Taylor, and if he sees a quarterback in a Steelers uniform, Taylor plans to plant him in the sod.

Taylor about 45 minutes before the draft resumed on Friday met with reporters covering the Browns and was informed within a minute after the Browns drafted him Thursday an exuberant fan tweeted: “Welcome to Cleveland. Please kill Ben Roethlisberger.”

The news made Taylor, a jolly 334-pound giant in his green polo shirt, chuckle at the greeting.

“I know how much Cleveland fans hate Pittsburgh,” he said. “He’s a great quarterback, but when I play against him, he’s going down.”

Taylor admits he did not watch the Browns when he was at Baylor last year, in part because they played at 1 p.m. every Sunday while he and his teammates were breaking down film. So maybe Taylor doesn’t realize the Browns have beaten Roethlisberger only once in seven years.

Regardless, Taylor is a big addition to the Browns defense – literally. The plan is for Taylor and Ahtyba Rubin to team inside and make it difficult for opponents to run. Year and year out, run defense has been a problem. The Browns were 27th against the run last year.

“I’m a good run stopper, but I’m a good pass rusher as well,” Taylor said. “Given the opportunities on passing downs, I can get to the quarterback.”

Taylor had 5 1/2 sacks in four years at Penn State and Baylor.

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