Sims anticipates more vicious hits this season
by Tom Kowalski
Monday July 30, 2007, 5:55 AM
ALLEN PARK -- His eyes lit up and a big smile radiated across his face.
Ernie Sims, the Detroit Lions hard-hitting weakside linebacker, had just been asked if he expected more -- and faster, more explosive -- collisions with ballcarriers this season.
"You can guarantee that,'' Sims said. "I'm not thinking as much and when I don't think as much, I play faster.''
It's not that Sims has stopped thinking, it's that he's stopped analyzing. Detroit's disciplined Tampa Two defense is becoming second nature to him. Now, when a play is unfolding in front of him, he doesn't have to hesitate and, in his mind, scroll through all of his options and responsibilities.
"I feel comfortable,'' Sims said. "With a year under my belt, it's a whole lot easier now. I can run fast and I can hit whenever I want to.''
It was Sims' speed and ability to hit -- with violence -- that convinced the Lions to draft him with the ninth overall pick in the 2006 draft. Sims had an excellent rookie season, leading the Lions in tackles with 144 (the next closest was middle linebacker Paris Lenon with 97).
Still, Sims didn't reach many of his goals. He wanted to create more turnovers, go the Pro Bowl and, most importantly, win a lot of games and get into the playoffs. That's pretty much the plan again this season.
"My personal goal is just to be the best I can,'' Sims said. "If that means going to the Pro Bowl or leading the league in tackles or getting three interceptions, it's whatever I can do to help the team out.''
Sims wants to be more of a playmaker this year than last. He was bothered that he didn't get any interceptions last season.
"I didn't have any picks last year but I should have at least three picks this season. And, with the defense I'm in and the way it's set up for me to make tackles, I should easily have 150-plus tackles,'' Sims said. "With a better understanding of the game now, we won't be thinking now. We can play and go make plays and go after the ball. We won't be thinking, we'll be running.''
Said Lions head coach Rod Marinelli: "When it's done right, you can see our speed come alive out there. Right now, we're fast. But when you really know what you're doing, you're really fast. And now that speed is coming alive."
That's why, without making many personnel changes, the Lions linebacking unit should be faster.
"I was confused last year. I was confused and I was wondering what I had gotten myself into,'' Sims said. "It was crazy out there. Now that I've had a year, it's totally different. It's night and day.''
Said Marinelli: "When you're really comfortable with what you're doing, you really play fast. He's relentless. He's not any faster than he was last year, he's just seeing things faster and he's reacting faster. I've been on his bandwagon for a year and a half. I believe in Ernie.''
While Sims' speed hasn't changed, there's another element about his game that will, even if it's gradual: leadership. He was a soft-spoken rookie last year who struggled at times to keep his performance at a high level and get through the season. He's not there yet, but he believes he'll eventually fit nicely into one of the leadership roles on defense.
"Over time, it'll come,'' he said. "Right now, I'm not much of a vocal leader but when my teammates turn on the film you can see it on film that I lead the team by example and playing on the field. As far as being a vocal leader, it'll come over time.''
Sims might even be willing to guarantee that.
