Browns’ Running Back Hillis Listed As ‘Game Time Decision’
Added on Nov 26, 2011 by Jack Thurman in
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The Cleveland Browns’ workhorse running back Peyton Hillis has been suffering from a severely strained hamstring for much of the season, and he’s listed as a ‘game time decision’ for this week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. That in itself is good news–Browns’ coach Pat Shurmur had ruled him out earlier in the week.
The 4-6 Browns clearly miss their bruising running back, but Hillis has made considerable progress this week and just wants to get back to the business of playing football:
“I miss playing football,” he said. “It’s what I was brought up my whole life to do. I’m excited to get out there playing a game. I’m excited about winning games. I’m excited to see how I can play during this time. I’m excited I feel 100 percent again.”
“I’ve just got to find a way to overcome all of this and be the player I used to be.”
Hillis wants to go, but Shurmur wants to be cautious:
“Because he hasn’t played ball in a long time, I think it’s still important that I’m cautious with his return.”
Shurmur wouldn’t give much information as to his starting lineup with or without Hillis:
“If Hillis is available, he will be available because he’s ready to play. Now, whether he’ll start or not I’ll have to decide that on Sunday. We have running backs coming back from injury so none of them can handle a full load and I think that’s an important thing to remember.”
This has been a rough season for Hillis with injuries on the field and squabbles with Browns’ management over a contract extension. He dismissed the suggestion that the year has been a ‘nightmare’:
“I guess when more people are looking at you everything seems more severe. I’ve got to be responsible and understand that as well, that no matter what you go through, you’ve always got to keep a good mindset and try to go through it as best you can.”
“As far as this year, goes, I just look at like bumps in the road you have to overcome. That’s in life with everybody.”
The Browns are a +7 point NFL betting underdog against surprising Cincinnati with the total set at 37′.
