Chaz Schilens Takes Break On Stationary Bike To Talk

Last season, Chaz Schilens spent a considerable amount of time on the stationary bike treating his numerous injuries. He also had twenty-eight catches in six starts, as part of his one hundred reception career. Schilens now plays for the Detroit Lions, who face the New York Jets this coming Friday. Schilens had this to say:

But asked why things didn’t work out with the Jets, his answer hints at a sour experience.

For me there?" Schilens said. "Really, when it came down to it, I kind of felt like they were looking for scapegoats and besides everyone except for, you know, maybe the quarterback position, and it was what it was."

Scapegoat has a negative connotation (and denotation, to be fair). It means someone that has been singled out and unfairly mistreated or blamed as the cause of certain troubles. Schilens is implying that he was the scapegoat, or at least one of them for last season's debacles. That would mean Schilens was unfairly mistreated, which as far as can be seen, is patently untrue. With injured receiving corps, and a wide receivers coach that specifically brought him aboard, Schilens had plenty of opportunities to prove himself, which he failed to do. He had all the chances of the world, and yet he was still one of the causes of trouble.

I'm not saying Schilens is wrong, that the team was looking for the root cause of their struggles. I'm saying he's the wrong person to be saying it.