DETROIT -- Cornerback Ike Taylor has a Web site called "Face Me Ike" on which he has T-shirts for sale and buttons that say "I Like Ike."

The Steelers have liked Ike since they drafted him in the fourth round in 2003, even though he was a converted running back who played only one season at cornerback at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. But they never thought he would develop as quickly as he did this season, when he emerged as the team's best cornerback since Rod Woodson.

"It took awhile," Taylor said. "It was a slow process, but you learn on the go and game by game."

Taylor's learning process has been on the go, beginning from the time he was demoted on the depth chart last season to the expansive role he was asked to assume this season.

He shadowed and shut down Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson in three meetings with the Cincinnati Bengals, kept Chicago's Muhsin Muhammad from the end zone when he followed the Bears' top receiver all over the field and provided one of the turning points in the AFC championship victory in Denver when his interception of a Jake Plummer pass led to a 24-3 halftime lead.

What's more, he finished second in the NFL with 25 passes defended, a statistic inflated because of the number of potential interceptions he dropped.

But to really show how far he has ascended in his first year as a starter, Taylor and safety Troy Polamalu were the only members of the secondary given their own podiums yesterday for Super Bowl Media Day.

"I like it, and it's definitely a challenge," Taylor said. "As a cornerback, that's what you dream about doing, going against the top receivers. I know every dog has his day but, if you can win as many battles as you lose, that is pretty good."

Taylor has definitely won more battles than he has lost, and he hopes that trend continues in Super Bowl XL when he will try to slow Seattle's West Coast passing offense and could clamp down on wide receiver Darrell Jackson.

Jackson finished the regular season with only 38 catches for 482 yards -- Bobby Engram was the Seahawks' leading receiver with 67 catches -- but he missed 10 games with a knee injury. Jackson averaged 6.3 catches and 80.3 yards per game. In the playoffs, he has been even more productive with 15 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns in two games.

The Steelers' top priority against the Seahawks will be to stop running back Shaun Alexander, but they also want to stop big plays in the passing game. And that's where Taylor could be assigned to Jackson.

"I don't know," Taylor said with a grin. "Got to wait and see."

Engram, who played at Penn State, has five catches for 45 yards in the postseason. And Joe Jurevicius, another Penn Stater, has just two catches for 37 yards after catching 55 passes and a team-high 10 touchdowns in the regular season.

But it would be just like Ike to be assigned to stop Jackson.

"They're quick, very elusive, and they all have good ball skills," Taylor said. "You've got to wrap up and tackle these guys because they'll make you miss. And, as a defensive back, you've got to stay on your receiver all the time because [Hasselbeck] is very mobile, but he's also accurate."