Zeroue and Maddox Win Weekly Hard Hat Award (Game #16, vs. Baltimore.)
Amos Zeroue had himself a very solid day of work against Baltimore: 26 carries for 104 net yards (4.0 avg) with a long of 22 and 2 TDs. He also chipped in with 3 catches for 13 yards. Considering the relatively poor O-line play that Amos (and Tommy) had to deal with, those are some pretty good numbers. If you factor out the 8 runs for zero or negative yardage, you will find that Amos, when given enough room to get past line of scrimmage, produced 110 yards on 18 runs, a 6.1 yd average. Since Amos had to earn most of his yards with little help from the O-line, frequently having to use his speed to bounce outside and turn the corner, I don�t think too many fans will begrudge him his second HH of the year.
On the other hand, I know some will quibble with Tommy getting half of the HH this week, but his performance was as gutsy and gritty as any by a Stiller QB this season. Consider: Tommy�s final numbers were 20 of 30 (66.67%) for 194 yards, with 2 TDs, 2 INTs (3 really, with the first, on a pass to Terrence Mathis, being returned for a TD, then nullified by an iffy roughing the passer penalty). Of the two INTs that did count on the score sheet, only one (the weak fade to Plax at the front of the end-zone) was Tommy's fault. The other was basically a mid-air fumble by Kreider, who allowed the ball to bounce off his chest plate in Plax fashion, at which point James Trapp nabbed it out of the air. Tommy also had an intentional grounding penalty (on the botched flea-flicker to open the Stiller�s first possession) but later balanced that gaff out with a key 21 yard run on 3rd and 10 during the next to last TD drive. And let us not forget that he was facing a Raven front 7 that was schooling the Stiller O-line. Besides stuffing the run game for zero or negative yardage on 8 different plays, the Ravens also got after the QB. Tommy was sacked 4 times (for �18 yards) and was pressured/hurried on at least 5 other occasions. One of those was particularly notable. Tommy's game-winning TD pass to ARE, in which he showed some heretofore unknown ability to elude pressure (by Boulware) and throw a strike into the EZ, was reminiscent of a certain other slow, weak armed QB: #16 who used to toss the rock for the 49ers back in the 80s. He also completed the subsequent 2 pt conversion to Plax to give us a 3 point margin at the end, which bears directly on the Raven�s choice of throwing into the end-zone (where Dewayne Washington intercepted) as opposed to kicking the FG for the lead. So, while it was most definitely not a pretty performance by Tommy, he did get the job done. After an ugly, horrendous start, Tommy knuckled down and found ways to make plays and move the chains. He didn�t panic. He didn�t mope, pout or cry. He just kept plugging away, and came away a winner at the end. And as far as the committee was concerned, that kind of perseverance in the face of adversity is what defines a HH worthy performance.
Kudos to Amos and Tommy for winning the weekly Hard Hat Award. Wear it proudly, fellas!!
(note: all stats used in this report come from careful reading of the official play-by-play at NFL.com. We here at Stillers.com NEVER rely on the notoriously inaccurate box scores posted on that site or any other.)
(note: all stats noted in this report come from careful perusal of the official play-by-play from NFL.com. We on the committee never rely on the notoriously inaccurate box scores for stats.)
Previous Winners in 2002:
Game #15, at Tampa Bay: LB Kendrell Bell
Game #14, vs. Carolina: DE Aaron Smith
Game #13, vs. Houston: No winner
Game #12, @ Jacksonville: K Jeff Reed and RB Jerome Bettis
Game #11, vs. Cincinnati: K Jeff Reed and QB Kordell Stewart
Game #10, @ Tennessee: WR Hines Ward
Game #9, vs. Atlanta: LB Joey Porter
Game #8, @ Cleveland: RB Amos Zeroue
Game #7, @ Baltimore: C Chukky Okobi
Game #6, vs. Indianapolis: S Mike Logan
Game #5, @ Cincinnati: DE Rodney Bailey
Game #4, @ New Orleans: OG Alan Faneca
Game #3, vs. Cleveland: QB Tommy Maddox
Game #2, vs. Oakland: LB Joey Porter
Game #1, @ New England: No winner, due to total lack of Hard Hat-qualifying play.