Bell Wins Weekly Hard Hat Award (Game #4, @ KC)
Stiller ILB Kendrell Bell is the winner of my weekly Hard Hat Award, given to the Stiller player who best embodies the iron-tough, hard-as-steel attitude of the steel workers inside the blast furnace of a still mill.
The rookie LB from UGA had a monster game against the Chefs, making 6 solo stops, including 2 bone-crunching sacks, as well as a couple of blistering hits on QB T. Green just after the pass was released. I've long opined that harassment, and hits on QBs just as they release the ball, are oftentimes far more beneficial and effective than coverage sacks. The hits on Green just as he released two passes were brutal, yet legal, hits that give a QB "happy feet" and make the QB less eager to stand in the pocket & look for receivers as the game wears on. Of course, both of Bell's sacks were highlight-reel, teeth-rattling hits on Green. On the first sack, Bell whipped by Priest Holmes and drove Green into the turf with textbook technique. On the 2nd sack, Bell literally steamrolled left guard Marcus Spears and then barreled into the QB, again driving Green into the turf with textbook technique. This is exactly the kind of hard-hitting, smashmouth football that I expect from a Stiller linebacker.
Others in contention were Aaron Smith, the O-line, and Jerome Bettis.
Kudos to Kendrell for winning the weekly Hard Hat Award. Wear the Hard Hat proudly, Kendrell !!
Previous Winners:
Week 1, @ Jax: Joey Porter
Week 2, @ Buff: Hines Ward
Week 3, vs. Cinci: Aaron Smith