History. Most underrated Bengal....among Bengal fans

[Shake n Blake]

(01-28-2016, 04:24 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I always felt Spikes was a lot better than Simmons.  Simmons just looked good because everyone around him was so bad.  Remember how we thought Keith Rivers was noat that bad before we saw Burfict play the position?

Spikes was better than Simmons, but I don't think he was a "lot" better. He had a much cooler name and that tree trunk neck, but as far as production goes, they were very similar. Here's their numbers per 16 games played (with the Bengals):

Spikes- 115 tackles, 2.9 sacks, 1.0 ints, 1.0 forced fumbles
Simmons- 94 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 1.7 ints, 1.9 forced fumbles

For a 4-3 LB, Simmons was a playmaker on the level of Burfict. Maybe he didn't quite have Burfict's intellect, but he made just as many plays as Burfict does now. He was also versatile, playing a few seasons at OLB and a few at MLB.