Peyton Hillis
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That was used jokingly in articles last year when so many Broncos fans were wondering why Hillis wasn't being used; now it appears to have become an urban legend. As Football Dad says, the real reason is that McDaniels did what NFL coaches have been doing for over a quarter of a century -- denying opportunities to White running backs because of their race. Nobody in the media or among the "draft gurus" ever thought of Hillis as anything but a fullback. Even after his great stretch of games in '08 after all the "real" running backs on Denver were injured, he was still seen as little more than a possible goal line back and receiver out of the backfield in '09 after Knowshon Moreno was drafted. Same when he was traded to Cleveland.
McDaniels is taking all the heat, and it's great fun to watch it because he's such a pompous a-hole, but it's an indictment of the Caste System itself. Except foran endless string of injuries on two different teams,Hillis would have never had a chance to display his immense ability as a runner, as has happened to countless other White RBs, receivers, defensive players, etc., for the past 30 years.Edited by: Don Wassall
McDaniels is taking all the heat, and it's great fun to watch it because he's such a pompous a-hole, but it's an indictment of the Caste System itself. Except foran endless string of injuries on two different teams,Hillis would have never had a chance to display his immense ability as a runner, as has happened to countless other White RBs, receivers, defensive players, etc., for the past 30 years.Edited by: Don Wassall
johnnyboy said:
Obviously a lie. The MSM wants to provide a reason for why Hillis was discriminated by McDaniels. Hillis is not that stupid, no White could be that stupid to hit on his head-coach's wife when he is warming the bench. The wife could easily tell her husband, and then Hillis would have been history.
With this lie, our enemies are hitting two birds with one stone. They tarnish Hillis' image, and they exonerate McWigger for what he did to Hillis. Despicable try, our enemies are well-known for inventing sexual stories to tarnish the image of WHite heroes.
Yes the MSM is constantly lying. I love how Hillis's 40 yard dash goes down every year he is productive. He ran a 4.58, I have it recorded. Then it was 4.62, then it went to 4.64, now I am seeing 4.66, and now the same Brian Leonard who ran a 4.49 now runs a 4.52. Don't want dwfs to know that big white guys can go sub 4.5. Matt Jones doing it doesn't apparently count, because he doesn't pass "the eye test"
They had to come up with something, there have been lots of articles being posted about how dumb McDaniels decision was, they can't respond with "we didn't know Hillis was capable of this" because Broncos fans are saying they knew he was something special, not to mention leading the team in rushing the year before with 5 ypc and 5 tds. First it was him being in the doghouse for fumbles, but at a closer look, he only fumbled once, on a return so that wasn't enough to cover up the real reason why.
Hillis is married, this is very disrespectful and could be considered slander.
They had to come up with something, there have been lots of articles being posted about how dumb McDaniels decision was, they can't respond with "we didn't know Hillis was capable of this" because Broncos fans are saying they knew he was something special, not to mention leading the team in rushing the year before with 5 ypc and 5 tds. First it was him being in the doghouse for fumbles, but at a closer look, he only fumbled once, on a return so that wasn't enough to cover up the real reason why.
Hillis is married, this is very disrespectful and could be considered slander.
Hillis is a class act..what an insult!
This is sickening! Some people will never get it! Thank you guys for staying on top of this...yeah he ran a 4.58...a comparison for me is power of Earl Campbell with the receiving skills of a Marshall Faulk...Hillis skill-set on on another level from Alstott(no disrespect)...
It's a pleasure to watch McDaniel & Denver languish in what could have been...hardcore ballersknow what's up with Hillis...not only is he a feature-back..but an ELITE back..4th OVERALL in NFL in rushing + rec headed into Week #13.
Yall know Hillis was a legend in HS...my friend from Arkansas was so excited he decided to sign with the Razorbacks..but his wife had to remind him he probably would not be used right...unfortunately she was right...got so bad his soph. season he was considering moving to Linebacker...blah blah
His last regular season game vs eventual National Champ LSU was all I needed to see...65 yard TD up the gut and nobody was catching him including our friend Craig Steltz! A frustrating college career playing with McFadden & Felix Jones...a POSITIVE we try to look for is his legs should be plenty fresh...I'm glad ole Houston Nutt didn't run Hillis 30 times a game and wear him down.
When Hillis reaches/surpasses the 1,000 yard clip a burden will be lifted off my shoulders...
This is sickening! Some people will never get it! Thank you guys for staying on top of this...yeah he ran a 4.58...a comparison for me is power of Earl Campbell with the receiving skills of a Marshall Faulk...Hillis skill-set on on another level from Alstott(no disrespect)...
It's a pleasure to watch McDaniel & Denver languish in what could have been...hardcore ballersknow what's up with Hillis...not only is he a feature-back..but an ELITE back..4th OVERALL in NFL in rushing + rec headed into Week #13.
Yall know Hillis was a legend in HS...my friend from Arkansas was so excited he decided to sign with the Razorbacks..but his wife had to remind him he probably would not be used right...unfortunately she was right...got so bad his soph. season he was considering moving to Linebacker...blah blah
His last regular season game vs eventual National Champ LSU was all I needed to see...65 yard TD up the gut and nobody was catching him including our friend Craig Steltz! A frustrating college career playing with McFadden & Felix Jones...a POSITIVE we try to look for is his legs should be plenty fresh...I'm glad ole Houston Nutt didn't run Hillis 30 times a game and wear him down.
When Hillis reaches/surpasses the 1,000 yard clip a burden will be lifted off my shoulders...
Surprisingly after sending a message about how they shouldn't be tarnishing a respectable man's image they updated.
"UPDATE:</span> We have confirmed with 104.3 the Fan in Denver that this rumor is 100% False. See here for more details."
Yesterday, we posted this story,
which put forth the rumor that Josh McDaniels ran Peyton Hillis out of
Denver because Hillis had put the moves on McDaniels' wife. The rumor
was originally attributed to 104.3 the Fan in Denver by a Broncos message board.
Knowing that internet forums aren't exactly the most reliable sources,
we reached out to the station to confirm whether or not Mark Schlereth
and/or Alfred Williams actually said such a thing on their radio show (The Drive) earlier this week.
D-Mac (the host of the show) wrote back to let us know that it is absolutely untrue, and they have no idea where that rumor got started. We're not really in the business of rumor mongering, so we apologize for any part we had in perpetuating this one.
But regardless, we still have to question McDaniels' handling of Hillis during their time together. And we still
want to know why the coach seemingly disliked Hillis so much when he
got to Denver. At the very least, the Broncos have to seriously examine
McDaniels' eye for talent, and whether or not he should be handling the
personnel decisions for the team.
Too bad dwfs only remember the "juicy stuff" and half won't remember that it was false, and won't be surprised if people still bring it up. If they weren't in the business of rumor mongering they would've waited to hear back before posting anything, instead posting the article based off a forum and THEN waiting to hear the facts.
Edited by: snow
"UPDATE:</span> We have confirmed with 104.3 the Fan in Denver that this rumor is 100% False. See here for more details."
Yesterday, we posted this story,
which put forth the rumor that Josh McDaniels ran Peyton Hillis out of
Denver because Hillis had put the moves on McDaniels' wife. The rumor
was originally attributed to 104.3 the Fan in Denver by a Broncos message board.
Knowing that internet forums aren't exactly the most reliable sources,
we reached out to the station to confirm whether or not Mark Schlereth
and/or Alfred Williams actually said such a thing on their radio show (The Drive) earlier this week.
D-Mac (the host of the show) wrote back to let us know that it is absolutely untrue, and they have no idea where that rumor got started. We're not really in the business of rumor mongering, so we apologize for any part we had in perpetuating this one.
But regardless, we still have to question McDaniels' handling of Hillis during their time together. And we still
want to know why the coach seemingly disliked Hillis so much when he
got to Denver. At the very least, the Broncos have to seriously examine
McDaniels' eye for talent, and whether or not he should be handling the
personnel decisions for the team.
Too bad dwfs only remember the "juicy stuff" and half won't remember that it was false, and won't be surprised if people still bring it up. If they weren't in the business of rumor mongering they would've waited to hear back before posting anything, instead posting the article based off a forum and THEN waiting to hear the facts.
Edited by: snow
Deadlift
Hall of Famer
"All the man-luv and bromance for Hillis and the other golden boys is centred around feelings of inferiority and an obvious inability to compete then anything else."
Projection, anyone?
And, it's the blacks that are always "highly-rated" and proclaimed "instant stars"... it's the "black ego" that's always stroked by the MSM... STRAIGHT TRUTH!
Who, in the MSM, is stroking the White ego? We usually have to go out of our way to find stats and video of White athletic achievement.
Even with the Caste System and all of it's pandering, any perceptive mind can still see that you don't "own" sports.. and that Michael Turner, MJD, Jonathan Stewart, Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, Felix Jones (etc etc) aren't Gazelles.. with such "style and flair."
Oh, but some of them gain yards? Then don't be so surprised when a much more streamlined Peyton Hillis gains yards!! And, FYI, he isn't the only one that "can do it".....
Projection, anyone?
And, it's the blacks that are always "highly-rated" and proclaimed "instant stars"... it's the "black ego" that's always stroked by the MSM... STRAIGHT TRUTH!
Who, in the MSM, is stroking the White ego? We usually have to go out of our way to find stats and video of White athletic achievement.
Even with the Caste System and all of it's pandering, any perceptive mind can still see that you don't "own" sports.. and that Michael Turner, MJD, Jonathan Stewart, Steven Jackson, Frank Gore, Felix Jones (etc etc) aren't Gazelles.. with such "style and flair."
Oh, but some of them gain yards? Then don't be so surprised when a much more streamlined Peyton Hillis gains yards!! And, FYI, he isn't the only one that "can do it".....
Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
Peyton is the FedEx Ground Player of the Week for the 3rd week this season!
Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis has been named the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week
Hillis rushed for a game-high 131 rushing yards on 26carries with
three touchdowns,catching sixpases for 63 yards in the Browns' 24-23
win over the Carolina Panthers.
It marked his fourth 100-yard rushing performance this season and third-highest total of the year.
His three rushing scores gave him 11 on the season as Hillis joined
Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly as the only Browns players to
record 11 or more rushing touchdowns in a single season.
This is the third FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week Award for Hillis
and second this season as he also earned the honor as a rookie in 2008
while with the Denver Broncos. He is the first Browns player selected
FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week twice in a single-season and the
only player in the NFL to earn the honor twice this year.http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Peyton-Hillis-named-FedEx-Ground-Player-of-the-Week.html
Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis has been named the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week
Hillis rushed for a game-high 131 rushing yards on 26carries with
three touchdowns,catching sixpases for 63 yards in the Browns' 24-23
win over the Carolina Panthers.
It marked his fourth 100-yard rushing performance this season and third-highest total of the year.
His three rushing scores gave him 11 on the season as Hillis joined
Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly as the only Browns players to
record 11 or more rushing touchdowns in a single season.
This is the third FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week Award for Hillis
and second this season as he also earned the honor as a rookie in 2008
while with the Denver Broncos. He is the first Browns player selected
FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week twice in a single-season and the
only player in the NFL to earn the honor twice this year.http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Peyton-Hillis-named-FedEx-Ground-Player-of-the-Week.html
DixieDestroyer
Hall of Famer
If Peyton isn't a lock for the Pro Bowl it's the biggest scam in NFL history.
During the run up to LeBrons return to Cleveland on Thursday Mike and Mike had a Cleveland reporter on and he said "People around here are getting sick of focusing on LeBron - they'd much rather talk about other stories - like the great season Peyton Hillis is having."
As in Denver, people really like Hillis in Cleveland and he now has a coach that actually wants to use him - unlike McDaniels who couldn't get rid of him fast enough. Also I have to wonder how great a "Football mind" Mike Holmgren has if he, and I quote, "Envisioned Hillis being a BACKUP FULLBACK when they traded for him" - backup fullback - imagine that.
As in Denver, people really like Hillis in Cleveland and he now has a coach that actually wants to use him - unlike McDaniels who couldn't get rid of him fast enough. Also I have to wonder how great a "Football mind" Mike Holmgren has if he, and I quote, "Envisioned Hillis being a BACKUP FULLBACK when they traded for him" - backup fullback - imagine that.
SuperSpeed23
Guru
Just 95 yards to make history today, just 95 yards.
I switched over to CBS's pre-game coverage of the Cleveland - Miami game from ESPN because I figured they'd be focusing on the players in the game they were about to broadcast - you know, common sense.
Not once mention of Peyton Hillis until 3 minutes before the game "They have to contain Peyton Hillis" - but oh yeah, Cribbs is their most "explosive" player. Explosive, we all know what that means. Hillis has a dreaded skin condition that prevents him from being explosive.
Not once mention of Peyton Hillis until 3 minutes before the game "They have to contain Peyton Hillis" - but oh yeah, Cribbs is their most "explosive" player. Explosive, we all know what that means. Hillis has a dreaded skin condition that prevents him from being explosive.
whiteathlete33
Hall of Famer
38 yards next week is a given.
I was initially upset that the Dolphins held in to 3 ypc and no tds, but his surrounding cast seems to be off about every other game, mainly the blocking.Next weekthey play the Bills,I am hoping for a 200 yard day! It would be nice for him toend up in the top 5 rushing this year. I just realized something though. Hillis has the chance to score a touchdown on all 32 teams if the Browns give him a significant role for the next 4 years. He scored one on the Browns in 2009 on one of his few carries that year. He already had a rec td against the Dolphins in 08. The only other team to deny him the endzone this year is Pittsburgh and that is in the division so he gets to play them again. He already has a td against 13 teams. 17 left, I know it is a longshot, but its something cool to think about. I would like him to be at the top of the list or as many records possible. The only other players to do this from what I have read is Terrelle Owens and Brett Favre.
Van_Slyke_CF
Mentor
Next week will be one of the greatest days in the history of CF! I can't wait til Hillis busts through the 1000-yard mark!
Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
Yes, it will be really nice to see it happen. I just hope I either have the game on my TV or can find a working link for the comp.
Deadlift
Hall of Famer
Too bad he wasn't facing the "Titans" ala Maurice Jones-Drew... and his "career-high"..
I kept wondering why they didn't use a fullback more the past few games, especially yesterday when the box was stuffed. Here is what I found"
"Fair question
Vickers was in for three run plays. They totaled 2 yards or 0.6 yards per carry.
We
ran out of 12 personnel with Royal either blocking out of the backfield
or from the second TE position and it was 15 carries for 55 yards or
3.7 a carry. Vickers was also in for several pass plays in the second
half and did amazingly little with regard to blocking or receiving."
So much for the "hall of fame" fullback that has thread or bleacher report article popping up every time Hillis has a good game, about being the "unsung hero" that does a thankless job and gets none of the credit, even though everyone seems to be giving him as much credit as Hillis. I also wonder why someone like Mike Karney never got the credit Vickers got when blocking for Deuce McCallister all of those years, being one of the best blocking fullbacks in the league........
Edited by: snow
"Fair question
Vickers was in for three run plays. They totaled 2 yards or 0.6 yards per carry.
We
ran out of 12 personnel with Royal either blocking out of the backfield
or from the second TE position and it was 15 carries for 55 yards or
3.7 a carry. Vickers was also in for several pass plays in the second
half and did amazingly little with regard to blocking or receiving."
So much for the "hall of fame" fullback that has thread or bleacher report article popping up every time Hillis has a good game, about being the "unsung hero" that does a thankless job and gets none of the credit, even though everyone seems to be giving him as much credit as Hillis. I also wonder why someone like Mike Karney never got the credit Vickers got when blocking for Deuce McCallister all of those years, being one of the best blocking fullbacks in the league........
Edited by: snow
johnnyboy
Guru
hey guys does anyone have the link to that Bleacher Report "article" by that idiot that brings up MLB to defend the racial disparity in the NFL. i think i got the link before, from this thread but i can't find it again. i want to give that guy a piece of my mind but i can't for the life of me find the "article." if anyone remembers the article i'm talking about please let me know.
thanks guys!
thanks guys!
Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
Great point, snow.
Cleveland receives stolen goods in new hero Hillis
If they're going to throw a farewell party for Josh McDaniels, I suggest they do it in Cleveland. Nobody should be more grateful for what McDaniels accomplished in Denver than the Cleveland Browns -- and if you're not sure why then you haven't been following Peyton Hillis.
Hillis is not just the best back and best player on the Browns. He's one of the best backs and one of the best players in the NFL.
He runs. He catches. He blocks. He scores touchdowns. Lots and lots of touchdowns. He's tough. He's durable. He's charismatic. Teammates love him. Coaches love him. Fans adore him.
"He's beloved," said Browns' general manager Tom Heckert. "He's the kind of guy the city should embrace. Obviously, we're glad we have him."
And that's where McDaniels comes in. Because the Cleveland Browns wouldn't have Peyton Hillis if the former Denver coach wasn't so willing to get rid of him. According to league sources, McDaniels had been interested in trading Hillis for nearly a year before he agreed to a deal with Cleveland that now seems so lopsided you wonder if McDaniels is descended from Harry Frazee.
I mean, Peyton Hillis and two draft picks for ... Brady Quinn? Please. Yet that's precisely the trade McDaniels OK'd last March, shortly after Mike Holmgren took over as the Browns' president.
What makes the deal so compelling is that Cleveland had decided it was finished with Quinn. In fact, it shopped him for weeks with no one interested and was this close to waiving the guy until McDaniels came to the rescue. He expressed interest in Quinn before, so the Browns figured they'd check with him again before cutting Quinn loose.
They discovered that not only was McDaniels still intrigued by Quinn but was willing to offer the Browns the running back they coveted. That was Hillis, who'd come to coach Eric Mangini's attention when Hillis played against Mangini's New York Jets in 2008 and ran for a then-career-high 129 yards and a touchdown.
Mangini liked everything about the guy and made a mental note then to track him if he ever became available. But he wasn't alone. When Heckert was the GM in Philadelphia, he was on to Hillis, too, figuring he'd be a perfect fit for the Eagles.
Of course, nothing ever happened until the Browns put Quinn on the market, and then it happened in a hurry. Once Denver was interested, it was easy for Mangini and Heckert to zero in on a target, with both agreeing that Hillis could improve the Browns with his running, his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and his toughness.
But they didn't stop there. Instead, they somehow convinced Denver to throw in two draft picks -- a sixth-rounder in 2010 and an undetermined 2011 choice that probably becomes another sixth -- to sweeten a deal that, frankly, helped make both clubs what they are today.
In Quinn, McDaniels thought he was getting a future starter. Instead, he's the team's third-stringer and hasn't played a down this season. In Hillis, the Browns knew what they were getting, and what you see today is the product of a club that did its homework.
"He's changed things here," said Mangini. "When he's rolling, and we're rolling it's a beautiful thing."
Mangini is right. Hillis has changed things. The Browns may not be the most entertaining or most talented club on the planet, but they're tough, effective and a difficult out. In short, they're a reflection of their running back. They drew the league's toughest schedule, yet never backed down -- playing opponents so hard and close that six of their games, including the last three, each were decided by four or fewer points.
They blew out defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans. They buried New England. They took the Jets to overtime. They could have beaten Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Baltimore and Kansas City. They should've beaten Jacksonville. Cleveland rocks, and nobody is rocking the Browns ... and their fans ... like Peyton Hillis. He leads the team in rushing, leads the team in catches, has nearly twice as many touchdowns (13) as the Browns' leading scorer a year ago (7) and has more scores than any running back in the NFL outside of Houston's Arian Foster (15).
But that's just the beginning, people. He's the only Browns' back outside of Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly to rush for 11 TDs in one year -- and the first since Kelly did it in 1968. He has a touchdown in all but two games. He's tied for the league lead in third-and-one conversions with a perfect 9-for-9. He ranks second among running backs in receptions with 53. He's fourth in first downs and fifth in total yardage, and his 1,398 yards in offense comprise 38.1 percent of the Browns' output.
"He has a ton of touchdowns," said Mangini, "and some of them have been blocked. But there have been others where he just willed his way into the end zone. He's added toughness around here that's contagious. Guys 'ooh' and 'ah' when they watch some of those plays, and it sets a tempo."
Hillis is relentless, running over and through anyone who gets in his way, and he's so reliable, so dependable, so, well, indispensable, that when the Browns were trying to close out New England early last month they called on Hillis. Ahead by 13 points with just over six minutes to go, Cleveland ran him every play of its game-clinching drive. Hillis responded by carrying six times for 60 yards, punctuating the series with a 35-yard TD.
"He's the real deal," said Heckert.
Too bad McDaniels didn't get the memo. Losing Peyton Hillis didn't cost him his job, but it helped to build the case against him. I can't imagine where the Broncos would be with Peyton Hillis, but I do know where Cleveland would be without him -- and here's to Eric Mangini and Tom Heckert for making sure that didn't happen.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/14398745/cleveland-receives-stolen-goods-in-new-hero-hillis
If they're going to throw a farewell party for Josh McDaniels, I suggest they do it in Cleveland. Nobody should be more grateful for what McDaniels accomplished in Denver than the Cleveland Browns -- and if you're not sure why then you haven't been following Peyton Hillis.
Hillis is not just the best back and best player on the Browns. He's one of the best backs and one of the best players in the NFL.
He runs. He catches. He blocks. He scores touchdowns. Lots and lots of touchdowns. He's tough. He's durable. He's charismatic. Teammates love him. Coaches love him. Fans adore him.
"He's beloved," said Browns' general manager Tom Heckert. "He's the kind of guy the city should embrace. Obviously, we're glad we have him."
And that's where McDaniels comes in. Because the Cleveland Browns wouldn't have Peyton Hillis if the former Denver coach wasn't so willing to get rid of him. According to league sources, McDaniels had been interested in trading Hillis for nearly a year before he agreed to a deal with Cleveland that now seems so lopsided you wonder if McDaniels is descended from Harry Frazee.
I mean, Peyton Hillis and two draft picks for ... Brady Quinn? Please. Yet that's precisely the trade McDaniels OK'd last March, shortly after Mike Holmgren took over as the Browns' president.
What makes the deal so compelling is that Cleveland had decided it was finished with Quinn. In fact, it shopped him for weeks with no one interested and was this close to waiving the guy until McDaniels came to the rescue. He expressed interest in Quinn before, so the Browns figured they'd check with him again before cutting Quinn loose.
They discovered that not only was McDaniels still intrigued by Quinn but was willing to offer the Browns the running back they coveted. That was Hillis, who'd come to coach Eric Mangini's attention when Hillis played against Mangini's New York Jets in 2008 and ran for a then-career-high 129 yards and a touchdown.
Mangini liked everything about the guy and made a mental note then to track him if he ever became available. But he wasn't alone. When Heckert was the GM in Philadelphia, he was on to Hillis, too, figuring he'd be a perfect fit for the Eagles.
Of course, nothing ever happened until the Browns put Quinn on the market, and then it happened in a hurry. Once Denver was interested, it was easy for Mangini and Heckert to zero in on a target, with both agreeing that Hillis could improve the Browns with his running, his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and his toughness.
But they didn't stop there. Instead, they somehow convinced Denver to throw in two draft picks -- a sixth-rounder in 2010 and an undetermined 2011 choice that probably becomes another sixth -- to sweeten a deal that, frankly, helped make both clubs what they are today.
In Quinn, McDaniels thought he was getting a future starter. Instead, he's the team's third-stringer and hasn't played a down this season. In Hillis, the Browns knew what they were getting, and what you see today is the product of a club that did its homework.
"He's changed things here," said Mangini. "When he's rolling, and we're rolling it's a beautiful thing."
Mangini is right. Hillis has changed things. The Browns may not be the most entertaining or most talented club on the planet, but they're tough, effective and a difficult out. In short, they're a reflection of their running back. They drew the league's toughest schedule, yet never backed down -- playing opponents so hard and close that six of their games, including the last three, each were decided by four or fewer points.
They blew out defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans. They buried New England. They took the Jets to overtime. They could have beaten Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Baltimore and Kansas City. They should've beaten Jacksonville. Cleveland rocks, and nobody is rocking the Browns ... and their fans ... like Peyton Hillis. He leads the team in rushing, leads the team in catches, has nearly twice as many touchdowns (13) as the Browns' leading scorer a year ago (7) and has more scores than any running back in the NFL outside of Houston's Arian Foster (15).
But that's just the beginning, people. He's the only Browns' back outside of Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly to rush for 11 TDs in one year -- and the first since Kelly did it in 1968. He has a touchdown in all but two games. He's tied for the league lead in third-and-one conversions with a perfect 9-for-9. He ranks second among running backs in receptions with 53. He's fourth in first downs and fifth in total yardage, and his 1,398 yards in offense comprise 38.1 percent of the Browns' output.
"He has a ton of touchdowns," said Mangini, "and some of them have been blocked. But there have been others where he just willed his way into the end zone. He's added toughness around here that's contagious. Guys 'ooh' and 'ah' when they watch some of those plays, and it sets a tempo."
Hillis is relentless, running over and through anyone who gets in his way, and he's so reliable, so dependable, so, well, indispensable, that when the Browns were trying to close out New England early last month they called on Hillis. Ahead by 13 points with just over six minutes to go, Cleveland ran him every play of its game-clinching drive. Hillis responded by carrying six times for 60 yards, punctuating the series with a 35-yard TD.
"He's the real deal," said Heckert.
Too bad McDaniels didn't get the memo. Losing Peyton Hillis didn't cost him his job, but it helped to build the case against him. I can't imagine where the Broncos would be with Peyton Hillis, but I do know where Cleveland would be without him -- and here's to Eric Mangini and Tom Heckert for making sure that didn't happen.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/14398745/cleveland-receives-stolen-goods-in-new-hero-hillis
Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
Good piece, Don. Hillis' role in McDaniel's demise will probably be lost on most DWFs, but I'm glad these kinds of articles are being written.
Truthteller
Mentor
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2009
- Messages
- 1,205
Don Wassall said:
Thank goodness he did not end up with the Eagles. He was way better offglued tothe bench in Denver last season, rather than going to Fat Bastard's team and being turned into Owen Schmidtt for the balance of his career. Talk about dodging a bullet -- Phillycoveted Peyton in 2009
Below isa recent article about Peyton. It's nothing great, but it mentions race holding back white RB's. By the way, no greater example of the glaring lack of talent at RB in the league (thanks to the Caste system?), than the Colts being forcedto replace a4.7-something 40/short guy (Mike Hart),with UFL refugeeDominic Rhodes, who had been out of the leaguefor a while. Next move, perhaps, will be thesigning/return ofEric Dickerson, if Rhodes get injured?
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2010/12/08/does-race-matter-as-peyton-hillis-nears-rushing-milestone/