Peyton Hillis: Madden Curse and Cleveland Browns RB's 5 Biggest Myths Debunked

Peyton Hillis is currently in a struggle against the sports media world.  If you've watched ESPN, perused the internet for NFL news or are fans of the Cleveland Browns, you have undoubtedly been exposed to the ongoing Peyton Hillis saga.

In a perfect world, this would not be the headline stealing the spotlight.

Running backs wouldn’t get injured or sick.

And everyone with Hillis sitting on their fantasy football bench would not be irate at Week 8 of the season.

Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren has been under fire due to these rumors and addressed the media recently.  Holmgren emphasized signing Hillis is a priority of the Browns’ front office.

Hopefully after reading this—fans and media alike—will begin to ease up on Hillis and let him ease back into the game-plan after recovering from a tweaked hamstring.

That is my hope, at least.

Victim of the "Madden Curse"

Peyton Hillis was dealt to the Cleveland Browns for chump change.   A slew of injures to the Browns’ running back corps and Hillis was given an opportunity.

It isn't his fault he excelled or how he managed to do so.

But, he did.

His cult-like fan following on the internet landed him as the Madden NFL 2012 cover athlete.

A running back from the Cleveland Browns, a 5-11 team, Hillis  didn't win that honor due to inflated statistics.  He did so because he played hard-nosed football.  Because of this toughness he made a name for himself as one of the most punishing backs in the NFL.

Unfortunately for Hillis, people have short attention spans and even shorter memories.

For those of you that will continue to hype the “Madden curse” angle, please listen up.

Hillis has not suffered a season ending injury or contracted anything close to the alleged curse from the Madden cover.  He had an illness followed by a hamstring injury (the same injuries he had in the years before 2011).  He’s also a workhorse running back making $600,000.00 a year and currently playing well above that level. 

Let’s not forget 2011 is a contract year for Hillis.

If you believe in superstition instead of chance, continue spreading the “Madden curse” tale.  However, if 20 years from now the Madden NFL video game still exists, you will likely see how flawed the curse really is with a bigger sample to analyze.

One more piece of food for thought: Michael Vick lost the Madden 2012 voting.  How is his 2011 NFL season going right now?  How about the Eagles?

Bad things happen to players every year.  Attributing it to a "Madden curse" is an easy way out from looking at the real problem at hand.

He Sat out Intetionally

Peyton Hillis has reiterated over and over again that he was too sick to play leading up to and on the day of the Week 3 Cleveland Browns' match-up against the Miami Dolphins.

Hillis talks constantly about wanting to retire a Cleveland Brown and that he wants to prove he deserves the accolades he's received.

Browns' running backs coach agreed with Hillis and defended his decision to sit out:

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

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A week later, Hillis' agent Kennard McGuire released a statement that he advised Hillis not to play.  This coupled with swirling rumors from unidentified sources within the Browns' locker-room attributed to a media frenzy that has still not subsided.

Kennard McGuire tried to quell the fire by stating:

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"Not only could he have hurt himself but he could have hurt his team. Nobody embodies Cleveland like Peyton Hillis. If anyone wants to point a finger, point it at me."

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Unfortunately, this was only more fuel for the fire.

Through unreported sourcing, speculation and here-say, media figures have drawn their own conclusions without facts.

He Does Not Fit in Pat Shurmur's WCO

If Pat Shurmur himself states Peyton Hillis is a fit for his offense, there should not be any further argument.

Shurmur stated following a 31-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans:

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"I think Peyton Hillis fits extremely well. He played, he got the football. I think it's important he touches the ball and he did."

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If Shurmur's words aren't enough for you, take a look at what Hillis brings to the table.  

He's an excellent pass catcher out of the backfield, an excellent blocker in pass protection and runs hard. Despite some popular opinion on message boards and through social media, he is also a very capable rusher.  

He is a playmaker.

Maybe not in the sense of a LeSean McCoy type rusher, but Hillis creates plays by making defenders miss and extends the play for more yardage.

One Year Wonder

Despite his injuries, Hillis is still capable of matching his 2010 stat-line.  With 10 games left in the 2011 season, there is ample time left for Hillis to gain momentum and salvage his and the Browns' year.

How can he do that?

Game-planning.

Shurmur demonstrated a return to the rushing attack in the Browns' most recent victory over the Seattle Seahawks on October 23.  He dialed up 36 rushing attempts in comparison to 35 passes.

If the Browns' coach is willing to run the ball to that extent and demonstrate a strong balance between pass and run, Hillis can gain steam and make an impact down the stretch this season.

Montario Hardesty Is a Better Option

Montario Hardesty is not a very different runner from Peyton Hillis.  He has, on occasion, made a defender miss and extends plays.  

Also, the explosiveness the Browns' had hoped for when they drafted Hardesty is seemingly not there.

On the season, Hardesty is averaging a meager 3.3 yards per carry.  This factored in with his suspect pass catching ability does not bode well for his future in Pat Shurmur's West Coast Offense (WCO).

Hillis, on the other hand, is averaging 3.5 yards per carry this season and has shown excellent hands for the most part.  Last season Hillis rushed for 1,117 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per carry.

Obviously, both of these backs are not performing at a high level at this point in the season.  However, of the two, I would rather have Hillis out there taking the majority of snaps.

Why?

He is a playmaker and gives the Browns' offense identity.

On a team void of many playmakers, Hillis is currently very missed.