Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > November > 03 > Entry
Man-love for DT Pat Sims
BENGALS ROOKIE PAT SIMS
HAVING BREAKOUT SEASON;
(BETTER LATE THAN NEVER)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Pat Sims, a rookie third-round draft pick from Auburn, has made a significant impact since he joined the rotation in Week 6.
The 6-foot-2. 320-pounder has generated 21 tackles (14 solos) in four games, and logged his first career sack in Sunday’s 21-19 victory over the Jaguars.
The club was forced to have patience with Sims because he suffered a severely sprained big toe in the preseason. Now that he’s healthy, he’s showing off his talent.
Built with a low center of gravity, Sims gets instant leverage with his strength and quickness, and uses his strong hands to shed blocks and penetrate the backfield.
According to head coach Marvin Lewis, Sims just needs to continue gaining more understanding of offenses so he can react and play faster. If his work ethic remains strong, he’ll become more than just a mainstay in coordinator Mike Zimmer’s defense. He’ll be a force.
IN MARVIN LEWIS’ WORDS:
“We’ve seen a lot of progress from Pat. Pat had a sore shoulder and was not very good in practice on Wednesday, and he came close to standing beside me in street clothes. So it was good to see him pick things up Thursday and Friday, and he did a good job (Sunday) in the game. He got credit for his first NFL sack. I think he’s finding out that he can do this, and he can do it pretty good. He’s just got to keep going and work harder and harder, and gain a little more understanding of offenses. If it’s second-and-10, Pat, it’s probably going to be a screen in that situation. And some things like that’s he’s got to get better with, and I think he will. He’s a smart enough guy to understand it, and I think he’ll continue to grow.”
IN PAT SIMS’ WORDS (SUNDAY POST-GAME):
“We were just swarming, man, playing like a team. That’s how we’ve should’ve been playing since the beginning of the year. But hey, everything happens for a reason. It’s just a new beginning right here. The record (1-8) is what it is. But right now we’re trying to go on an eight-game winning streak, and it started today. I told you, man, I’m going to keep working hard and I’m going to keep getting better.”
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By John
November 3, 2008 9:33 PM | Link to this
Timin’,… The Bengals preseason seemed to start after the regular season started for the other teams. Too bad Cincinnati had to get caught-up in that energy.By Brian
November 4, 2008 7:16 AM | Link to this
The Bengals prefer to dial up their play once the games are meaningless. Contention is much too stressful.By sissy
November 4, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this
Even though they beat the awful Jaguars, this Bengals team is still awful!By Hudepohl Dey
November 4, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this
say what you will…but Pat Sims is AWESOME. When’s the last time you’ve seen a Bengals DT wreak havoc like Sims?By Greg
November 5, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this
I’ve been saying it since training camp that Sims would replace Thorton. I’m just sad that it took this long. Sims will be a force for years to come!By Greg
November 5, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this
I’ve been saying it since training camp that Sims would replace Thorton. I’m just sad that it took this long. Sims will be a force for years to come!