Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons was an absolute beast in the Week 9 win over the Los Angeles Rams, and he did it on the national stage, which has led to more recognition.
Simmons tallied three sacks and had nine pressures in total. He nearly had a fourth but Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford barely got rid of the ball in time, which led to an interception and a touchdown on the next play.
The three sacks were not only a single-game career-high for Simmons, but that was also the same amount he had in all of 2020.
Simmons is now up to 5.5 sacks on the season, a new career-best, and his 27 pressures since Week 6 are the most in the NFL. He’s ranked tied for fifth in total pressures with 42 along with fellow defensive lineman Denico Autry, and both are tied for the league lead among interior defensive linemen.
The Mississippi State product was a guest with “JMart and Ramon” on 104.5 The Zone on Wednesday and shared his reaction to the Titans’ dominant defensive performance on Sunday night.
.@GrindSimmons94: "I dominated the game. Our line dominated the game. Our defense dominated the game." – vs the Rams#Titans #TitanUp
— JMart and Ramon (@JMartandRamon) November 10, 2021
On a night where arguably the best defender in the NFL was on the other sideline, Aaron Donald, Simmons was the best defender on the field. He admitted he definitely thought about out-performing the star lineman, something he ended up doing.
Big Jeff says without a doubt, it was on his mind to have a bigger night than Aaron Donald on SNF… he said it in such a way it's obvious players welcome those challenges and use them as motivation.
— Jason Martin (@JMartRadio) November 10, 2021
As far as his teammates are concerned, Simmons noted that the players on defense are constantly pushing each other. He also revealed he and Autry have a weekly bet on who will be more dominant, which likely serves as another source of motivation.
.@GrindSimmons94: "We push each other to the highest limit. We want the best of each other. There are no selfish guys (on this defense)." #Titans #TitanUp
— JMart and Ramon (@JMartandRamon) November 10, 2021
Just now, @GrindSimmons94 dropped the info of having a weekly bet with @HailStateFB brethren Denico Autry as to which Bulldog is more dominant. The winner gets a grand each time… then speaks to how both pick each other up during tough stretches. #Titans
— Jason Martin (@JMartRadio) November 10, 2021
Simmons had shown flashes of elite play during his first two seasons, but there is no doubt he’s taking that next step to superstardom in 2021. He’ll look to continue his breakout season in Week 10 against the Saints.
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