Hillis' profile is higher than ever, but work ethic still the same

Peyton Hillis may be the new "Madden 12" cover boy, but he's not letting the newfound notoriety affect his work ethic.

The Cleveland Browns' rugged running back has been busy enhancing his skill-set during the NFL lockout, training in his own distinct way in his hometown of Conway, Ark. Hillis has been seen around the neighborhood powering down the street with a half-ton truck harnessed to his chest. On lighter days, he drags a small car or all-terrain vehicle.

"I know it's weird, but if you saw it, you can see it works," Hillis told The Plain Dealer in Saturday's edition. "It's just something a buddy of mine came up with and I've been doing it since my junior year in high school."

Hillis went from being a relative unknown to one of the most talked-about players in the league in a 2010 season in which he totaled 1,177 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns, despite playing the last three weeks with a painful cracked rib that made breathing a chore.

Hillis, like every other NFL player this offseason, is in the unique position of preparing for a new season without the structure that the NFL provides. Hillis is doing his best to create a positive support system.

"I have coaches from Conway High working me out and all kinds of local fitness experts," he said. "I'm doing yoga, MMA and things like that. I'm an unorthodox player, so I have to do things that fit my kind of game."

The biggest flaw in Hillis' game last season was ball security, and like other aspects of his training this offseason, the 25-year-old has taken a straightforward approach.

"I'll carry a ball around with me all day and ask people to try to knock it out of my hand when I least expect it," he said. "I'll give them some money and stuff so people get pretty geeked up about that. It just helps me to take care of the ball without even thinking about it."

Looking ahead to the 2011 season, Hillis is excited to be part of a West Coast offense under new coach Pat Shurmur and welcomes a potential challenge for the starting job in the form of Montario Hardesty, who is set to return to action after reconstructive knee surgery.

"I always find competition in each and every thing I do and it will bring competition -- no doubt about it," Hillis said. "But being professional and being who I am, I like competition. I like a good challenge and I'm always up for anything."

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Browns QB McCoy, RB Hillis return to practice field for Browns

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy was back at practice Thursday after missing one day because of the stomach flu, and running back Peyton Hillis also was back on the field after resting his sore left knee.

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McCoy was ill Wednesday and unable to participate in the full outdoor practice. He took part in the early walkthrough period as the Browns (5-9) get ready to play host to the Baltimore Ravens (10-4).

Browns coach Eric Mangini said McCoy looked a lot better and that it shouldn't be difficult for the quarterback to catch up with the game plan.

Hillis, who has rushed for 1,129 yards this season, gained 144 earlier this season against the Ravens.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Browns RB Hillis goes off for 184 yards to help Mangini top his mentor

CLEVELAND -- When the scoreboard clock finally showed zeros, Bill Belichick walked slowly across the torn-up field to meet Cleveland's coach, his protege and estranged friend, amid a swarm of players and photographers.

Belichick found Eric Mangini, looked him in the eye and offered his hand.

It was time to concede defeat, one as thorough as any in recent memory.

"I congratulated him," Belichick said.

It's all he could do.

On this day, the Browns were better -- a lot better.

Rookie quarterback Colt McCoy scrambled for a touchdown and didn't make any mistakes, Peyton Hillis ran for a career-high 184 yards and two TDs and the vastly improved Browns, using a little trickery and a ton of offensive imagination, pounded the Patriots 34-14 on Sunday.

Two weeks after stunning New Orleans, the Browns (3-5) pulled off another shocker. Well rested after their bye week, they ended New England's five-game winning streak and did it decisively, outplaying one of the NFL's top teams for 60 minutes.

This was no fluke. The Patriots (6-2) were battered, baffled and beaten badly.

"We know we can beat anybody," Browns wide receiver Joshua Cribbs said. "If you beat these supposedly best two teams in the league, it gives us confidence there isn't one team in this league that we don't think we can beat."

It was particularly satisfying for Mangini, whose relationship with Belichick was damaged years ago when he left New England's staff to coach the Jets and by the infamous "Spygate" episode. The two men ignored each other during pregame warmups, but had to meet afterward.

Mangini was asked what his mentor said.

"'Good game.' We were making plans for the summer," he joked.

Mangini had good reason to smile. He and his staff, many of whom worked in New England under Belichick, outschemed the Patriots in every facet. The Browns had an overwhelming advantage on offense, defense and special teams. Cleveland sprang a pop-up kickoff to set up its first touchdown and the Browns scored their second TD on a gadget play they knew would work.

But it wasn't all smoke and mirrors. The Browns bullied the Patriots, using Hillis to run the ball down their throats and flustering quarterback Tom Brady with a variety of fronts and coverages.

"This sends a message that what happened last game against New Orleans was not a fluke," said Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas, who opened holes as the Browns rushed for a season-high 230 yards. "We're a good team. We're starting to find our identity."

Hillis, healthy at last after being slowed by a thigh injury, scored on a 2-yard run in the first, and then put the Patriots away with a 35-yard burst late to make it 34-14. He carried 29 times, picking up all 60 yards on Cleveland's game-sealing drive.

Brady and the Patriots have had better days.

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New England's star went 19 of 36 for 224 yards and two TDs to rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez. However, Brady lost for the first time in five career starts against the Browns, who jumped to an early 10-0 lead and led by 17 entering the fourth.

Brady was hindered by several drops and a crucial fumble by tight end Rob Gronkowski just before halftime, when the Patriots, who came in averaging a league-leading 29 points per game, blew a chance to cut into Cleveland's 10-point lead.

"We were out of sync all day," Brady said. "It was not a good day at all. As an offense, we didn't do much to advance the ball, and that includes the quarterback. If we play like we played today we are not going to beat anybody."

The Patriots had other issues. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski suffered a thigh injury, forcing Belichick to use receiver Wes Welker to kick an extra point in the fourth. If it had been closer, Welker may have had to try a late field goal.

The Browns, though, never let the Patriots in it.

For Mangini, the lopsided win over a quality opponent was further proof his system may be taking hold in his second season with Cleveland. There were still more than two minutes left when he was showered with Gatorade. Soaked to the skin, he smiled as his players celebrated behind him.

"It feels great," he said. "It's special and it's special because of our guys, because of our team, not because of their team, because of our team."

McCoy, making his third straight start, had his best game. He completed 14 of 19 passes for 174 yards, and his TD run in the third gave the Browns a 24-7 lead. With no receivers open, McCoy tucked the ball and sprinted for the left corner.

"I felt real slow," said McCoy, who covered the final few yards with a headfirst dive.

Mangini has been reluctant to name McCoy his starter for the rest of the season, and he dodged that question again.

"Can we really enjoy this moment right here?" he joked. "We'll talk about it tomorrow and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday and Saturday."

McCoy is 2-1 as a starter with wins over Brady and Drew Brees.

Phil Dawson kicked field goals of 38 and 37 yards for the Browns, who after pulling off three trick plays two weeks ago to upset the defending Super Bowl champs, used some slight of hand to open a 17-7 lead.

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On first down at the New England 11, Cribbs took the snap at quarterback and handed the ball to Chansi Stuckey, who lined up directly behind Cleveland's right guard. Stuckey took off toward the left corner, and by the time the fooled Patriots reacted, it was too late to catch the Browns' wide receiver, who beat them to the orange pylon.

It wasn't the only time the Patriots didn't have an answer.

"They did everything better than we did," Belichick said. "In every single aspect, they clearly were the better team. We have a lot of work to do."

Notes: Belichick said Gostkowski's leg tightened up. He will be re-evaluated Monday. ... Mangini improved to 3-5 vs. Belichick. ... Mangini is also 4-1 in his career after a bye week. ... The Browns recorded season-highs in points, first downs (22), total yards (404) and time of possession (38:08).

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Browns RB Hillis injures thigh during Thursday's practice

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns added running back Peyton Hillis to their injury report Thursday with an unspecified thigh ailment.

Hillis, who has rushed for more than 100 yards the past two weeks, had limited participation in Thursday's practice. Hillis apparently was hurt following the 30 minutes of practice that's open to reporters.

Hillis has been the Browns' top offensive player through four weeks. He rushed for a career-high 144 yards two weeks ago against the Baltimore Ravens and followed that by running for 102 to help Cleveland record its first win this season, 23-20 over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hillis wasn't listed on the Browns' injury report Wednesday.

The Browns acquired Hillis in a March trade that sent quarterback Brady Quinn to the Denver Broncos.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Hillis helps Browns overcome T.O. show as Cleveland gets first win

CLEVELAND -- Another fourth-quarter lead was in danger of disappearing when Cleveland's offense met before taking the field.

Three losses in three weeks had stung the Browns.

It was time to change, so running back Peyton Hillis and his teammates gathered and laid out their plan.

"The message was," Hillis said, "'We've got to pull this one out.'"

This time they did.

Hillis, a human battering ram in helmet and shoulder pads, rumbled for 102 yards and a touchdown, Phil Dawson kicked three field goals and the Browns survived a big day by Cincinnati's Terrell Owens for their first win, 23-20 over the Bengals on Sunday.

The Browns (1-3) had dropped their first three games by a total of 12 points and in cookie-cutter fashion, failing to finish down the stretch and frustrating coach Eric Mangini with silly, self-inflicted mistakes.

Learning from their errors, they overcame a costly penalty against rookie safety T.J. Ward, made a crucial sack of Carson Palmer in the closing minutes and withstood a 10-catch, 222-yard performance by an unstoppable Owens, who moved into second place on the NFL career list in receiving yards.

"We didn't falter," said Hillis, who has surprisingly become Cleveland's best offensive weapon. "The defense came up big and we grinded out the final four minutes. It proves we are improving, and it was good to show our fans we could pull out a win and they could say, 'Hey, we actually got a team.'"

The Bengals (2-2) thought they had one, too. But after having their eight-game winning streak in the AFC North snapped, the defending division champions have some new questions and concerns.

"We're 2-2 and we lost to a team that's 0-3 and is better than their record," said Palmer, who went 25 of 356 for 371 yards and two TDs. "We have to find a way to dig deep. We have to move past this game because this one really hurt. This one stings a lot."

After taking a 23-10 lead in the third quarter on Dawson's 22-yarder, which moved him within one field goal of tying Hall of Famer Lou Groza's franchise record of 234, the Browns nearly let another lead slip away.

With Cincinnati driving for a possible go-ahead touchdown, linebacker Matt Roth sacked Palmer and forced Bengals coach Marvin Lewis to call for a punt with roughly five minutes left.

Cleveland took over at its 11 with 4:41 remaining and was able to run out the clock by giving the ball to Hillis, acquired in an offseason trade with Denver for quarterback Brady Quinn. On second-and-7, Hillis bounced outside and picked up 24 yards to put the game on ice just before the two-minute warning.

Quarterback Seneca Wallace, who made his third straight start in place of the injured Jake Delhomme, then took a knee three times to expire the clock -- a victory formation the Browns hadn't used since last season and one they haven't even practiced.

"We've been playing closer and closer to the way I believe we can and had not gotten the result," said Mangini, who presented a game ball afterward to his oldest son, Jake, who attended his first NFL game. "It's important to know it's something we know we can do on a consistent basis."

One of Palmer's TDs was a career-best 78-yarder to Owens, who ran wild in Cleveland's secondary as the Browns double-teamed Chad Ochocinco.

Cincinnati's offense finally lived up to preseason hype, but failed to come up with the necessary conversions down the stretch.

"We're frustrated," said Owens, wearing dark sunglasses at the postgame podium. "I don't think personally, I'm frustrated. From the standpoint of us knowing we have offensive weapons and we're not moving the ball like we're capable of moving it -- that's where the frustration comes in."

A personal foul against Ward for a vicious hit on rookie Jordan Shipley helped the Bengals pull within 23-20 on Palmer's 4-yard shovel pass to Brian Leonard with 10:44 left.

On third-and-goal, Palmer's pass intended for Shipley was incomplete, but Ward delivered a forearm to Shipley's head in the end zone and was nailed with a penalty, giving the Bengals an automatic first down. Shipley laid dazed with a concussion and was helped off the field.

The Bengals felt Ward was excessive.

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"A ridiculous play," Owens said. "The guy's defenseless. I just hate to see a guy get hit like that in the head. For him to take a cheap shot like that, that's uncalled for. At one point, I thought he was out cold. His eyes were rolling in the back of his head. You never want to see a teammate in that situation."

Ward didn't see anything wrong with his hit, which will likely draw a hefty fine from the league.

"I hit him with my shoulder," Ward said. "They (Bengals) tried to yap at me, but I ignored them. I would do it again."

The Browns went three-and-out the next time they got the ball, and Palmer passed the Bengals down field after huddling with Owens and Ochocinco on the sideline several times in the second half. Cincinnati got to Cleveland's 37, but Ochocinco was called for interference on third down and Roth pulled down a scrambling Palmer from behind on the game's biggest defensive play.

"It's a huge sigh of relief," Roth said. "We finally got the monkey off our back. We've got to keep this thing rolling."

Notes: The Bengals lost both S Roy Williams and CB Jonathan Joseph to injuries. Williams hurt his right knee in the second half. Joseph injured his right forearm trying to tackle Hillis in the second and did not return. Owens passed Isaac Bruce (15,208) into second place on the league's career yardage list. Owens has 15,325 yards, second only to Jerry Rice's 22,895. Owens also jumped Bruce (1,024) for fifth in receptions with 1,030. ... Hillis has scored a rushing TD in four straight games, the first Browns back to do that since Greg Pruitt had five in a row in 1975. ... Browns WR/KR Joshua Cribbs had 107 return yards, putting him 12th on the career list with 8,443.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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