Hard Hat Award (Game #11, @ Balt.)

Hard Hat Award (Game #11, @ Balt.)

Stillers QB Dennis Dixon is the winner 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.

In yet another gutless, heartless performance by the Stillers in their loss to the Ravens, Dixon was one of the very few players, if not the only player, to give it his all and play with the mental toughness that wins football games.   Dixon was called upon on Saturday, the day prior to the game, to be the starter, due to BenRoth�s on-going problems from a concussion last week.   Thrust into the starting QB role against the hell-bent Ravens, Dixon could have been excused for cowering and shriveling.   But, to his credit, he manned up and never blinked, showing superb poise, mental toughness, and composure.  He didn�t have a great stat line, and his INT in OT led to a chippie game-winning FG by the Raves, but in regulation, he did enough for his team to win the football game.  In fact, he led the TD drive that put the team ahead, late in the 4Q, and scored the TD by racing 24 yards on a designed run (his only designed run of the evening, aside from a couple of QB sneaks).    

Precious few others were in consideration after this grinding slopfest.    Brett Keisel drew some consideration, as did LG Ramon Foster, who made his 1st NFL start.  Rashard Mendenhall also deserves props for having to run into the teeth of a voracious defense that was stacked to stop the run�and Mendy got dozens of tough, hard-earned yards en route to a 95-yard rushing effort.  

It bears repeating that there is almost always -- if not always -- a strong correlation between the number of players in consideration for the Hard Hat, and if the team won or lost.  Simply put, Hard Hat kind of football leads to victory; pansy football (a term used here long before Troy Pola popularized it) leads to defeat.  Given the poor effort and lack of toughness this past Sunday -- especially on the defense -- it should come as no surprise that the Stillers got beaten.  

Kudos to Dixon for winning the Hard Hat Award.  Wear the Hard Hat proudly, Dennis!  

Previous 2009 Hard Hat Winners:

Game #1, vs. Tenn.:  Jamie Harrison and Keyaron Fox

Game #2, @ Chicago:  No one

Game #3, @ Cinci:  Mike Wallace  (honorable mention to Alice Cooper bassist Chuck Garric)

Game #4, vs. San Diego:  Rashard Mendenhall and Chris Kemoeatu

Game #5, @ Detroit:  Jamie Harrison

Game #6, vs. Cleveland:  Larry Timmons

Game #7, vs. Minnesota:  James Farrior

Game #8, @ Denver:  Ty Carter and  Brett Keisel

Game #9, vs. Cinci:  No one

Game #10, @ KC: Rashard Mendenhall