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Dallas Cowboys linebacker Ernie Sims offered no apology last week when asked about his training camp fight with running back Lance Dunbar.
Slung to the ground during team drills, Dunbar popped up and squared off with Sims, who boasts a 45-pound weight advantage.
“It’s like two males in the wild, you know?” Sims told reporters in Oxnard, Calif.
“If a male strikes at you, you’re going to strike back. We’re playing football. It’s physical. It’s domination. It’s training camp…Running, people yelling at you, it’s just the way it is. You just come out here and compete.”
According to his coaches, few have done that better the past three weeks than Sims, who is battling free-agent signee Justin Durant for the strongside linebacker spot in Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 scheme.
“He’s played with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder,” coach Jason Garrett said. “And that’s a really good thing.”
Bottom line: The 2006 first-round pick by Detroit believes the Cowboys represent his last chance to redeem himself following seven mainly mediocre seasons.
“I’m hungry,” said Sims, 28.
The Lions drafted Sims ninth overall out of Florida State, but he had only 2.5 sacks and one interception in 56 starts before being traded to Philadelphia in 2010.
After consecutive one-year stints with the Eagles and Indianapolis, he was out of football when Dallas signed him last October after Sean Lee’s season-ending injury.
“The thing I really noticed from the first conversation he and I had was just that: ‘This is my last chance,’ ” Garrett said. “He had that mindset.”
Considering Sims arrived at camp seeking just a roster spot, his story is one of the best in Oxnard. Although Durant started the first two preseason games, Sims has made an impact in practice, staying around the ball and creating turnovers.
But all of his feel-good momentum came to an abrupt halt Sunday when he injured his groin while working with the first team.
While the setback isn’t considered serious, it could keep him sidelined at least through Saturday’s preseason game at Arizona. Still, Sims refuses to downgrade his goal of securing a starting job.
“I can see it in my grasp,” he said Tuesday. “It’s reachable. Coaches were giving me a lot of praise before I tweaked my groin. They were working me into the starting position. I’m excited about that and eager to get back.”
The coaches share his yearning for restored health.
“He’s running from side to side, around the football a lot, making a lot of plays,”
Garrett said. “More than anything else, what impresses me most is his demeanor. It reflects in how he’s playing, how productive he’s been. He’s a real pro’s pro. He comes to work every day.”
In 10 games for Dallas last season in Rob Ryan’s 3-4 scheme, Sims recorded six starts, 42 tackles, three pass breakups and a sack. The Cowboys expect the 4-3 scheme will increase his production.
“He’s played in this scheme before and is very comfortable in it,” Garrett said.
Sims was in the 4-3 with the Lions from 2006-2008 under Rod Marinelli, now Dallas’ defensive line coach.
Sims calls Marinelli “one of the best coaches I’ve played for” even after the two were part of the Lions squad that went 0-16 in 2008.
“He shoots straight,” Sims said. “We went through some hard times in Detroit, and day in and day out, he pretty much said, ‘We got to pound the rock. We’ve got to keep our head down and keep fighting.’
“That helped me not only on the field but in life. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a Class A coach.”
And, of course, Sims likes the aggressive, takeaway-forcing style preached by Marinelli.
“That’s the name of the game – to hit people,” Sims said. “That’s what I like. That’s what you should expect out of me.”
Continue reading...
Slung to the ground during team drills, Dunbar popped up and squared off with Sims, who boasts a 45-pound weight advantage.
“It’s like two males in the wild, you know?” Sims told reporters in Oxnard, Calif.
“If a male strikes at you, you’re going to strike back. We’re playing football. It’s physical. It’s domination. It’s training camp…Running, people yelling at you, it’s just the way it is. You just come out here and compete.”
According to his coaches, few have done that better the past three weeks than Sims, who is battling free-agent signee Justin Durant for the strongside linebacker spot in Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 scheme.
“He’s played with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder,” coach Jason Garrett said. “And that’s a really good thing.”
Bottom line: The 2006 first-round pick by Detroit believes the Cowboys represent his last chance to redeem himself following seven mainly mediocre seasons.
“I’m hungry,” said Sims, 28.
The Lions drafted Sims ninth overall out of Florida State, but he had only 2.5 sacks and one interception in 56 starts before being traded to Philadelphia in 2010.
After consecutive one-year stints with the Eagles and Indianapolis, he was out of football when Dallas signed him last October after Sean Lee’s season-ending injury.
“The thing I really noticed from the first conversation he and I had was just that: ‘This is my last chance,’ ” Garrett said. “He had that mindset.”
Considering Sims arrived at camp seeking just a roster spot, his story is one of the best in Oxnard. Although Durant started the first two preseason games, Sims has made an impact in practice, staying around the ball and creating turnovers.
But all of his feel-good momentum came to an abrupt halt Sunday when he injured his groin while working with the first team.
While the setback isn’t considered serious, it could keep him sidelined at least through Saturday’s preseason game at Arizona. Still, Sims refuses to downgrade his goal of securing a starting job.
“I can see it in my grasp,” he said Tuesday. “It’s reachable. Coaches were giving me a lot of praise before I tweaked my groin. They were working me into the starting position. I’m excited about that and eager to get back.”
The coaches share his yearning for restored health.
“He’s running from side to side, around the football a lot, making a lot of plays,”
Garrett said. “More than anything else, what impresses me most is his demeanor. It reflects in how he’s playing, how productive he’s been. He’s a real pro’s pro. He comes to work every day.”
In 10 games for Dallas last season in Rob Ryan’s 3-4 scheme, Sims recorded six starts, 42 tackles, three pass breakups and a sack. The Cowboys expect the 4-3 scheme will increase his production.
“He’s played in this scheme before and is very comfortable in it,” Garrett said.
Sims was in the 4-3 with the Lions from 2006-2008 under Rod Marinelli, now Dallas’ defensive line coach.
Sims calls Marinelli “one of the best coaches I’ve played for” even after the two were part of the Lions squad that went 0-16 in 2008.
“He shoots straight,” Sims said. “We went through some hard times in Detroit, and day in and day out, he pretty much said, ‘We got to pound the rock. We’ve got to keep our head down and keep fighting.’
“That helped me not only on the field but in life. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a Class A coach.”
And, of course, Sims likes the aggressive, takeaway-forcing style preached by Marinelli.
“That’s the name of the game – to hit people,” Sims said. “That’s what I like. That’s what you should expect out of me.”
Continue reading...