Jacksonville running back Fred Taylor runs past linebacker Larry Foote for the game-winning touchdown in the Jaguars' 29-22 win over the Steelers Dec. 16. Despite ripping the Pittsburgh defense for 147 yards in that game, Taylor Tuesday ripped the condition of the Heinz Field turf.

PITTSBURGH — Fred Taylor isn't worried as much about the Pittsburgh Steelers' home-field advantage as he is their bad field.

Taylor, the Jaguars' star running back, chided the Steelers on Tuesday for their substandard grass field and suggested they spend $1 million on artificial turf to improve one of the NFL's worst playing surfaces.

The Jaguars play an AFC wild card game in Pittsburgh on Saturday night, their second visit there in less than a month.

"That field is terrible," Taylor said in a conference call with Pittsburgh reporters. "That's a lawsuit pending. That's ridiculous."

Taylor's comments were unexpected only because he ran for 147 yards and the game-winning touchdown on that snow-covered, mushy field during Jacksonville's 29-22 victory in Pittsburgh on Dec. 16.

Also, the Jaguars pride themselves on being a Pittsburgh-like team that wins with the run and a strong defense. Pittsburgh running back Willie Parker calls them "the Steelers of the South."

Taylor, a 10,000-yard career rusher, has 381 yards rushing in his last two games in Pittsburgh, although his 234-yard game there in 2000 came on Three Rivers Stadium's artificial turf.

Snow fell and strong winds blew throughout the Jacksonville game Dec. 16, yet the Jaguars outgained the Steelers 421-217 and outrushed them 224-115. The Jaguars were the only visiting team to beat the Steelers in Heinz Field this season.

No matter, Taylor wants to see artificial turf the next time he travels to Pittsburgh.

"I prefer grass, but these cold-weather teams, late in the season, they allow high schools to play on their field and they allow colleges to play on their field," said Taylor, ninth in the league with 1,202 yards rushing. "It just goes completely bad. So I think a million-dollar investment won't hurt their pockets."

The weather may not be the factor for this game as the early forecast calls for an unseasonably mild daytime high of 49, cloudy skies and no precipitation.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin seem pleased to hear of Taylor's comments, if only because they suggest the field might prove a distraction to the Jaguars.

"Sure it is (an advantage), if he feels that way," Tomlin said. "I don't know anybody on our team that hates our field."