Peyton Hillis

Hillis, Woodhead and some of the White receivers and defensive stars are undeniably popular with a large segment of DWFs, the problem is that the DWFs are so conditioned by the media to have negative images of White football players that they have little faith in the long-term stamina of White players outside of QBs and o-linemen and are always expecting the worst.

I just watched all of the Browns-Dolphins game. Hardesty was not impressive. It looked like the only time the team put 8 in the box was on one short yardage play. However, having 1 less man to block shouldn't make the line that much better, they were opening up some nice holes for Hardesty to run through. The question is were the Dolphins that bad or were they playing harder for Hardesty? He usually went down on first contact, he broke one tackle where he did a spin move. His pass blocking sucked, I don't know where rotoworld got the idea that he was doing well pass blocking, McCoy got hit a few times while Hardesty failed to pick up his man.

Hopefully the worst case scenario is Hardesty getting 30 percent of the carries for a few weeks.

Hardesty was struggling as usual, until a second half drive, where they ran the ball to their strong side, behind Joe Thomas (something they refuse to do with Hillis). I saw one 18 yard run, and a few other nice ones.

There is a clear agenda, amongst fantasy "gurus" and the Browns' front office, to limit Hillis's touches to prevent him from "wearing down" again. There is apparently no agenda to lobby for some offensive linemen and NFL caliber starting WRs.

Note the reference in the article about Hillis trying to injure himself in practice last week. What kind of bizarre allegation is that? How would an injury help him get a bigger contract?

I have a bad feeling about all this. That "strep throat" incident was very strange, and I'm suspicous that there was a lot more to it than we've been told. If Hillis ends up losing a substantial amount of touches over this, then I think this was probably just another conspiracy.

bigunreal said:

Hardesty was struggling as usual, until a second half drive, where they ran the ball to their strong side, behind Joe Thomas (something they refuse to do with Hillis). I saw one 18 yard run, and a few other nice ones.

There is a clear agenda, amongst fantasy "gurus" and the Browns' front office, to limit Hillis's touches to prevent him from "wearing down" again. There is apparently no agenda to lobby for some offensive linemen and NFL caliber starting WRs.

Note the reference in the article about Hillis trying to injure himself in practice last week. What kind of bizarre allegation is that? How would an injury help him get a bigger contract?

I have a bad feeling about all this. That "strep throat" incident was very strange, and I'm suspicous that there was a lot more to it than we've been told. If Hillis ends up losing a substantial amount of touches over this, then I think this was probably just another conspiracy.

Click to expand...

It doesn't require a conspiracy to change a player's role on a team.

somethings going on.........

ha, what do you know...

Browns coach Pat Shurmur indicated Wednesday that Montario Hardesty has earned an increased role going forward after gaining 86 yards on 17 touches during his Week 3 spot start.

Shurmur conceded starter Peyton Hillis "is our back," but stated that Hardesty is "further along" than the Browns expected and "can handle more" of the load than Hardesty did in the first two games. Hardesty wound up playing 63-of-65 of the Browns' offensive snaps against the Dolphins. An even timeshare may ensue, as both backs can pick up the blitz and play on all three downs.
Related: Peyton Hillis

Source: Associated Press: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7...nd-browns-now-2-back-attack-montario-hardesty

now Hillis needs to show them all what he's really made out of and outplay Hardesty, we all knew that this moment would come, sooner or later, no white player playing running back or WR can be truly safe... Go Peyton!

Damn...looks like you guys were right. Its a shame Mangini got run out of Cleveland. In all honesty he was pretty white friendly and had that team playing hard. Lets hope Hillis puts Hardesty where he belongs...back on the bench.

Toby Gerhart's start with Adrian Peterson out = 16 carries 77 yards 4.8 ypc 3 catches for 18 yards, almost identical stats to Hardesty, except he was facing a much better run d in Chicago who finished last year ranked 2nd in run defense, 6th if you go by ypc. Miami is in the bottom half so far this year. Where was the 60/40 talk then?

If Peyton's carries this weekend are seriously cut into then Bigunreal's conspiracy theories aren't so far fetched after all. That's about all I have to say on this subject.

we shall see... it's no conspiracy, just NFL, either way. there's always a black player with more "upside and explosiveness" around the corner waiting for the smallest hitch in performance, or an injury.

i sitll think that Hillis will outperform him, no matter what

Backrow, tell me if you agree. I truly believe that black defenders try extra hard when it's a white running back with the ball in his hands. I'm sure when Hardesty started last week the bruthas were taking plays off. When Hillis gets a run it's everyone get the whiteboy.

it's a given. and sometimes when he gets to play against whites, they happen to actually know how to tackle!

No one has commented on the article I linked to. No thoughts on that? Exactly what were they talking about? There was a mention of Hillis faking an injury in practice last week, and an inference that something was amiss regarding his contract situation.

I still maintain that the "strep throat" story is very suspicious. If Hillis has his touches substantially reduced in favor of the pedestrian Hardesty, then I think we all can conclude he wasn't too sick to play.

Virtually every mention of Hardesty or Hillis on rotoworld and other fantasy web sites has to state that Hardesty "has earned" more touches, and that a full blown timeshare is imminent, if not already there. Needless to say, there isn't another starting RB in the league who could be thrown into a committee by the "great" 67 yard, zero TD effort of his backup.

If this clown Hardesty ever really does show something, just imagine what the reaction will be. I just hope that Hillis gets fired up over this and shows what he's really made of. However, if he really did miss a game bacause of strep throat, then I don't have much confidence.

i am sure he will be fired up.

step throat apparently had him with high fever few consecutive days, that's what i gathered.

I wonder what the hell Colt meant by this

"“Montario is fun to play with and he’s fun to be with out there,â€￾ quarterback Colt McCoy said. “In the huddle — after a big run when he makes guys miss — it brought some energy to the field. That was refreshing. I thought he did a great job.â€￾

Hillis doesn't bring energy to the field in his eyes? Hardesty made one person miss. Hillis has had to make people miss in the backfield. The play that sticks out in my mind was a 5 yard gain against the Colts, there were 3 guys that tried to get him down by the time he got to the line, and he still dragged one extra guy for a 5 yard gain. The way that play looked, I can't think of many backs that would've gotten positive yards on that play. Those plays that Hardesty got stuffed on, those are 3 and 4 yard gains by Hillis. The only loss Hillis really had was being lined up at fullback on short yardage, and the weird delayed handoff. If Hillis had gotten the type of holes Hardesty had last week he would've had over 6 ypc.

All the articles keep mentioning that Hardesty is a speed back, where do they get this idea from? He wasn't breaking off long gains in college. His only run over 40 yards his senior season was against Western Kentucky, and it was 43. He only had one run that went for over 25 yards. He is a one cut and go runner than excelled in a zbs, he isn't anything spectacular. His power isn't that great and his speed on the field isn't better than Hillis, its probably worse now that he is coming off his 4th or 5th knee surgery. How many guys have that many knee injuries and turn out to be all pro?

and how is it some conspiracy? this is what we have been talking about on this site. No White wr/rb/db has had job security.

Odds are Hardesty will get injured again at some point during the season, and probably sooner rather than later. To paraphrase Emmitt Smith, that's what he do best. The Hillis Curse (on black RBs) has been one hundred percent effective so far.

The Browns may be using Hardesty to low-ball Hillis on his contract extension. Peyton is a free agent after this season so if Holmgren doesn't wise up he'll lose Hillis without compensation and the fans in Cleveland will be just as mad as those in Denver. I'm sure there is a team that can use a great, prime, complete RB such as Hillis, even if he is White.

PH WILL get paid and job security next year!

Peyton Hillis insists he's "100 percent" recovered from last week's bout with strep throat.

Hillis lost 10-12 pounds last week, so he's still putting weight back on. He participated in a full practice for the second straight day Thursday. Rotoworld ranks Hillis 13th among fantasy backs for this week's game against the Titans.


Source: Mary Kay Cabot on Twitter
Sep 29 - 4:12 PM

I really liked Colt McCoy, too. Just incredible comments; again, as I've noted before regarding Aaron Rodgers, Carson Palmer or any other white QB, what is the point of spouting off like that? He volunteered this nonsense. Can you imagine Donovan McNabb expressing similar support for Toby Gerhart?

It would have been nice to hear Colt say, "It will be great to have Peyton back- he's the heart and soul of this offense." Instead, he props up his backup, who ran for an incredible, unheard of 67 yards and no TDs.

I don't like the dramatic weight loss- I can see the team using that (and/or his quick weight gain back) to give him even more "rest" for the next few games. The agenda here is so obvious, so clear- everyone from his coach, to fantasy web sites, to his QB, is giving ridiculous, undeserved hype to his backup, who did nothing much at all in his place.

The good news is Hardesty is not only injury prone, but just not very good. However, we've seen what a mediocre performance can do for a black backup. Picture a lucky long TD run, and how that will impact Hillis.

bigunreal said:

I really liked Colt McCoy, too. Just incredible comments; again, as I've noted before regarding Aaron Rodgers, Carson Palmer or any other white QB, what is the point of spouting off like that? He volunteered this nonsense. Can you imagine Donovan McNabb expressing similar support for Toby Gerhart?

It would have been nice to hear Colt say, "It will be great to have Peyton back- he's the heart and soul of this offense." Instead, he props up his backup, who ran for an incredible, unheard of 67 yards and no TDs.

I don't like the dramatic weight loss- I can see the team using that (and/or his quick weight gain back) to give him even more "rest" for the next few games. The agenda here is so obvious, so clear- everyone from his coach, to fantasy web sites, to his QB, is giving ridiculous, undeserved hype to his backup, who did nothing much at all in his place.

The good news is Hardesty is not only injury prone, but just not very good. However, we've seen what a mediocre performance can do for a black backup. Picture a lucky long TD run, and how that will impact Hillis.

Click to expand...

Let's not jump to conclusions just yet. Let's wait to see what happens to Hillis in the upcoming weeks. If Hillis does lose a significant amount of carries to the supah afflete than I imagine it will even sober up a few DWF's. I think someone mentioned that through the first two games Hillis had the most carries of any runningback in the league. If Hardesty gets a few carries here and there I won't be upset. If it becomes a 40/60 or 70/30 type timeshare then we certainly have reason to be upset.

Another article, this one from Pro Football Talk, that deals with the Hillis "strep throat" issue. Shocker that Bob Golic publicly criticized the only white RB in the league for being soft...I'll be waiting for him, or any other white ex-player, to say that about a black NFL player. Here's the link:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...s-his-decision-not-to-play-with-strep-throat/

The comments are by and large supportive of Hillis, which I guess shows that he has earned a lot of respect from the DWFs. As one of the critical posters noted, though, when was the last time any NFL player missed a game for any kind of sickness, strep throat or otherwise? I hope the Browns' fans are reflective of commentators on this article, and don't start chanting for the legendary Hardesty if Hillis struggles.

Tennessee's defense is strong- I don't like this week's matchup for Hillis. Miami was the best matchup he's had all season (well, Indy but they have actually been okay against the run so far), and it was just so frustrating to see Hardesty play against them and post a better ypc.

Note also that the article mentions again the contract issue, and also the seeming suggestion that the coaches tried to get Hillis to play, but he refused. If that's the case, I really have to wonder.

i hope he's not taking a "**** you" stance towards the team, show me the money kind. I've done it in the past and it has backfired on me once as well (we're talking rugby which is laughable money wise compared to big bucks he's losing, or rather, not making when he should). so maybe he was sick, and basically used that as an excuse, thinking, these guys don't even want to pay me what I'm worth, damn if i will play through illness or injury...

The first report I read said that Hillis showed up for practice and that Shurmur is the one who decided to send him home. That doesn't sound like a player refusing to play.
In any case, I'll make a prediction.
Half of the snaps Hillis sees Sunday will be from the fullback position.

Peyton Hillis Defends Decision to Sit

BEREA, Ohio -- Peyton Hillis was too sick to play Sunday, and the Browns running back doesn't feel like he needs to provide a doctor's note to prove it.

Hillis spoke in detail Thursday for the first time since missing last week's game against Miami with a case of strep throat and flu-like symptoms. After staying at the team hotel on Saturday night, Hillis went to Browns Stadium intending to play but was sent home two hours before kickoff.

Hillis defended the decision for him to miss the game, and said he's isn't concerned if others feel he should have played despite his illness.

"The people that really care about me and want the best for me would understand," he said. "And the people that don't, then they don't. But I can't control that. And I'm going to do what's best for me at that point. If it's going to jeopardize my health in that situation, I'm going to take my own life in my own hands and do the best I can."

Hillis said he lost "10 to 12" pounds while he was ill, and that he has put some of the weight back on. He explained that after getting to the stadium he realized he hadn't recovered enough to dress for the game.

"My weight wasn't there. My energy wasn't there," he said. "'I knew it wasn't my time that day. Me and the doctors talked it over and they probably didn't think it was the best thing to go out there. It was very disheartening. I know I'm not 100 percent, then I know I can't give it my all. I didn't want to hurt the team."

Second-year back Montario Hardesty made his first NFL start in Hillis' place and ran for 67 yards to help the Browns win 17-16.

It's not known if Cleveland's coaches tried to convince Hillis to play, and the bruising back sidestepped that question.

"I don't know if that took place or not," he said. "I think they're more in-tune with how I was feeling and what I was feeling and if I was sick or not."

Browns running back coach Gary Brown has no doubt Hillis was too ill to play.

"I know that he's a stand-up person and I know that he would die for this football team," Brown said. "He was sick and couldn't go. Trust me, he was going to do everything he could to go."

Hillis said he didn't see much of Cleveland's game on TV. The Browns had to rally in the fourth quarter after playing poorly most of the game.

"I slept through the first three-and-a-half quarters," he said, cracking a smile. "I was just in time for the last drive. I guess that was the only part we needed to watch. It was great to pull out that win."

Hillis, who pounded his way to 1,177 yards last season, said he dismisses any questions about his durability.

"People just make suggestions and accusations just because they can," he said. "They don't know me, they don't know my body. I go out there and play hard, but for me, I really think I'm very durable."

The 25-year-old returned to practice on Wednesday and expects to play Sunday when the Browns host Tennessee.

"I'm 100 percent now," he said. "I'm anxious and ready to get back out there."

Hillis was again asked about ongoing contract negotiations between his agent and the Browns on an extension. The sides have given no indication if they're close to a deal. The team has signed four other players to extensions in the past month.

"I know other people may think differently, but it's really out of my mind," Hillis said. "I don't care. If the Browns wanted to extend me, they would. That really puts the ball in my court. I've got to go out there and produce. All I can do is what I can control. I can just go out there and play."


http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7...-defends-decision-miss-game-vs-miami-dolphins

Hopefully Peyton is feeling great again and can add his first 100+ yard rushing performance of 2011 on Sunday. If that happens, and we see a similar type weekend to last with the offensive performances, we can be sure of one thing: record setting traffic at CF!