Browns’ Peyton Hillis insists he’s ready to go

Associated Press

BEREA

His back should be sore. Same goes for his head, shoulders, biceps, forearms, hips, knees, calves and every other part of Peyton Hillis’ muscle-bound body.

Carrying the Cleveland Browns hasn’t been easy.

Hillis, though, insists he’s not hurting.

“I’m fine,” he said. “I feel great. It is a long season and it’s tough on your body, but I think my body’s holding up well.”

You’d like to believe Hillis. After all, he’s a straight shooter, never one to exaggerate or make excuses. But his extra workload this season appears to have taken a toll on the 24-year-old, who missed practice Wednesday to rest a knee injury.

He was seen leaving the team’s facility with a large ice wrap on his left knee.

Hillis has been the Browns’ runaway MVP. There’s no one even in the conversation to challenge Cleveland’s hard-charging back. He leads the team in rushing and receiving, and among the league’s top running backs he’s ranked in the top five in points, first downs, receptions, rushing touchdowns and yards from scrimmage.

He’s been a workhorse. But maybe an overworked horse.

Hillis has had the ball 311 times, with 252 rushing attempts and 59 receptions. However, those statistics don’t reflect the punishment he has absorbed over 14 games as Cleveland’s primary back. He’s on the field all the time, rarely getting a break.

Before this season, he had just 88 career carries and 19 catches in two years with Denver.

If he’s worn out, it would be understandable.

“I don’t get the sense that that’s the case,” Browns coach Eric Mangini said. “I’m sure it’s totally different for him to have this kind of work but he’s one of the most well conditioned guys that I’ve been around. I think he relishes every chance he gets.”

On Sunday, Hillis will get his second crack at Baltimore’s vaunted defense. He ran for 144 yards and caught seven passes against the Ravens earlier this season, a performance that began his rise to cult status with Browns fans and exposed him to a league that knew little about him.

“I never heard of him before he went for 140,” said Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs. “He broke a couple of runs. He had a great day on us.”

He’ll likely need another one for the Browns (5-9) to have any shot at upsetting the Ravens (10-4), who can clinch an AFC playoff berth with a win. Hillis has become a marked man for opposing defenses.