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Let's just go with this: Play Pat Sims if you really want to win. Dating back to 2011, when defensive tackle Pat Sims plays in a game, the Cincinnati Bengals are 11-4. There's no rhyme or reason for it, only generating 370 snaps in two seasons, including 74 this year (where the Bengals are 4-0 during games he played).
Seriously? Why.
Maybe it's the schedule. Maybe it's other players stepping up (Rey Maualuga). Maybe it's the affect he has on the defense. We've been cataloging the team's rushing defense since he went down with an injury last year. The Bengals were 7-4 when they lost Sims, dropping four of their next six with a nasty 221 yards rushing allowed to Baltimore in the regular season finale and 188 during Cincinnati's wild card loss to the Houston Texans.
| IN 2011 | With Sims | Without Sims |
| Games | 11 | 6 |
| Yards Rushing Allowed | 1,020 | 843 |
| Avg. Yards Rushing Allowed (Game) | 92.7 | 140.5 |
| Avg. Yards Rushing Allowed (Carry) | 3.5 | 4.95 |
Fastforward to 2012. Pat Sims has played four games this year, which is eerily the same amount during Cincinnati's current winning streak.
| Before Sims (8 Games) | Currently W/ Sims | |
| Total Defense | 357.4 (20th) | 331.3 (8th) |
| Scoring | 27.2 (25th) | 21.7 (t-14th) |
| 3rd Downs Allowed | 42% (24th) | 37% |
| Rushing | 117.0 (17th) | 110.2 (11th) |
It's weird. Don't get us wrong, it's awesome. But it's just weird. Ultimately we're not going to fight such oddities. We're not going to investigate them. No. We'll just accept it as it is.
Because if you want to win, play Pat Sims. What else do you need to know?