Ryan Miller

rmiller4@thespectrum.com

What a difference a game makes.

On Nov. 27, a former Southern Utah corner got his first significant playing time for the Titans. While Tennessee came away with a 27-21 win over Chicago, Sims’ day didn’t go very well. He gave up seven catches for 89 yards and a touchdown and was also called for pass interference on a long ball.

But after a bye week last week, Sims returned to the field on Sunday to play the best game of his young NFL career. In the Titans’ 13-10 win over Denver, Sims finished with five tackles, including one for loss in the red zone, and broke up a potential Demaryius Thomas game-tying touchdown reception in the end zone at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

After getting torched for 89 yards against the Bears, Sims gave up just 4 yards on two catches. It was quite the turnaround.

Sims was so good that Sports Illustrated’s Monday Morning Quarterback, Peter King, named him one of the three defensive players of the week for Week 14.

“Sims, (drafted) No. 157 out of Southern Utah, is trying to make a name for himself in Dick LeBeau’s secondary, and he was a strong part of the Titans’ 13-10 upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos in Nashville on Sunday," King wrote "… Kid’s a good player.”

King wasn’t the only one to praise Sims’ day. Jim Wyatt of the official Titans’ website said the rookie corner was one of Tennessee's bright spots during the win.

“Rookie cornerback LeShaun Sims rose to the occasion,” Wyatt wrote. “He made a number of big plays in coverage, including a pair of big plays on a defensive stand at the end of the third/start of the fourth quarter.”

Pro Football Focus graded Sims’ day with an 87.4 — the highest of any Titan defender.