It has been two games since cornerback Ike Taylor was demoted as a starter and there's no sign he's getting his job back from Bryant McFadden or Deshea Townsend.

Taylor was the Steelers' starting left cornerback since the start of the 2005 season. Cowher threatened to demote him for a game against New Orleans Nov. 12, but did not. He waited until Nov. 26 to make the switch in Baltimore. McFadden moved up to start at right cornerback and Townsend moved over to Taylor's spot at left cornerback against the Ravens.

Sunday, Townsend was back at right cornerback and McFadden moved over to the left side. Taylor plays in the nickel and dime defenses.

"I'm sure he probably doesn't like it, but he's accepted it and he understands it," Cowher said.

McFadden did something against Tampa Bay that Steelers cornerbacks have had trouble accomplishing this season. He not only successfully defended a fade pass against a tall receiver, he intercepted the ball in the end zone. He also, unofficially, was credited with a team-high eight solo tackles and two passes defensed.

Townsend dropped an interception he could have returned for a touchdown but recorded career sack No. 13.5 and had five solo tackles.

The downturn in Taylor's play this season was surprising. He often was assigned the opponent's best receiver and the Steelers showed what they thought of him when they signed him to a contract extension the week before the season began -- a total of five years for $22.5 million, including a $6.4 million signing bonus.

"I don't get caught up with contracts," an agitated Cowher replied when he was asked about Taylor in light of his big contract and big-time assignments. "I don't get caught up with what people make. My job is to put the best people out there to give us a chance to win and that's the protocol I use."

Unique field goal

The keepers of NFL history have produced an interesting fact on Matt Bryant's 27-yard-field goal for Tampa Bay on the last play Sunday that left the Steelers with a 20-3 victory.

It's the first time an NFL team escaped being shut out by kicking a field goal on the final play of a game since 1933.

That year, Pittsburgh native Christian "Mose" Kelsch kicked a 21-yard field goal on the last play to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3-3 tie with the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.

The Pirates changed their name seven years later to the Steelers. So, on Sunday in Heinz Field, the Tampa Bay Bucs turned the tables on the former Bucs of Pittsburgh to end a game like no other in the NFL in the past 73 years.

No fan of Thursday games

As a coach, Cowher's not a fan of playing games on Thursday.

"If you're a fan, it's great to have football in the middle of the week -- unless you're playing in it. I guess both teams are in the same situation. But I'm not a big fan of it this time of year.

"It's part of the entertainment business we're in. It will be nice over the weekend, but it's a lot of work between now and Thursday."

The Steelers won their season opener against Miami on a Thursday night and it has been mostly downhill since.

It was only the second time in nine Thursday games the Steelers have won. Cowher's record in midseason Thursday games in which his team played the previous Sunday is 0-3, so this time he decided to change his team's routine.

He talked to coaches of other teams that played on Thursday. Previously, Cowher gave his players off on Monday and practiced Tuesday and Wednesday. He was advised to treat Monday as a Wednesday of a normal week, and that's what he did yesterday.

Today, Cowher will treat as a normal Thursday and tomorrow as a normal Friday.

The team will practice each day but none of the practices will be as long or as physical as a normal week.

The Steelers previously played a midseason Thursday game Dec. 2, 1999 in Jacksonville.

Keeping it real

Kicker Jeff Reed mentioned all the dirt between the hash marks at Heinz Field as a hindrance, but Cowher said he preferred dirt over fake grass.

"Both teams have to play on it. I like it. You're talking to the wrong guy. That's what the game should be played on.

"I think a natural surface, when you look at most players, through the course of their careers, would rather play on grass than any kind of artificial surface.

"You know what, grass turns to mud this time of year. We're not down South somewhere. We've got the weather. It is what it is. Grass does not grow year-round in Pittsburgh.

"But that's what football was when you were growing up. You loved football like that. As long as it was firm -- it starts firm anyway -- maybe Jeff would take exception with that with his plant foot. But you get used to it. You get acclimated to it, you adjust to it. That's what the game of football is about. Both teams are playing on it, so come on."