Hard Hat Award (Game #5, vs. Seattle)
Stiller QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB Najeh Davenport, and DE Aaron Smith 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.
It�s typically a good barometer of how well the team played, when there are multiple players being considered for the coveted Hard Hat Award. This week was such an example. Besides the 3 co-winners, NT Chris Hoke and CB Ike Taylor were also considered. Even Clark Haggans got some small consideration, based on his relentless rush to the QB even after his helmet had been ripped off, showing the exact kind of intensity and fortitude that the Hard Hat Award holds in the highest esteem.
Ben Roth had a brave performance in the win over Seattle. Time and time again, Ben stood in the face of a solid pass rush that was getting ample pressure, and Benji either fired an accurate pass in the face of pressure, or calmly ducked or twisted from pressure in order to buy more space and time. Other QBs cringe and slip in the face of pressure -- such as Hasslejack or Mommy Maddox -- but Benji stood tough and firm in leading the offense to 3 superb scoring drives.
Najeh Davenport gave the offense a huge boost with clutch runs that were the result of sheer determination and relentless effort. He broke a long 45-yard run in the 2Q, where he busted 2 tackles and then sprinted for the sideline. In the 2nd half, he twice took short passes and rumbled over tacklers like a man possessed. He also scored 2 TDs on runs where he simply was not going to be denied. This is the kind of tough, hard-nosed running by a big man that Stiller fans haven�t seen in years.
Aaron Smith was just a beast against Seattle. The committee reviewed the game tape, and saw how Smith just dominated the line of scrimmage and manhandled any blocker assigned to block him. He totally wreaked havoc on the Seattle ground game and helped apply pressure on the QB. For a 3-4 DE, it doesn�t get any better than the effort and relentless attack that Smith showed on Sunday.
Kudos to Roethlisberger, Davenport, and Smith for winning the Hard Hat Award. Wear the Hard Hat proudly, fellas!
Previous 2007 Hard Hit Awardees:
Game 1, @ Clev: Jamie Harrison and Danny Sepulveda
Game 2, vs. Buffalo: Jamie Harrison
Game 3, vs. San Fran: Willie Parker
Game 4, @ Arizona: Santonio Holmes