Hard Hat Award (Game #1, vs. Clev)
Stiller LB Jamie Harrison and punter Danny Sepulveda are the co-winners of the 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.
Harrison, assuming the starting OLB job on an apparent full-time basis with departure of The Big He-Man, Joey Porter, turned in a steady, solid, lunchpail effort. He led all Stillers with 7 solo stops and was active throughout the game. His play was so strong that nobody we polled could even remember the stiff that manned the ROLB spot last season.
The rookie Sepulveda punted with aplomb in his first NFL start. Twice, he pinned the Browns inside their 5 yard line, and the Browns never had a chance on punt returns the entire game. This is the kind of punting the Stillers haven�t seen in, well, forever.
Honorable mention goes to WR Hines Ward, who leveled a Clev. DB and knocked him out of the game. The play was correctly whistled as a late hit, but ya can�t be mad at Hines for his feisty exuberance.
Kudos to Harrison and Sepulveda for winning the Hard Hat Award. Wear the Hard Hat proudly, men!