Since Ernie Sims' return from a painful shoulder injury, which is still bothering him, he and rookie DeAndre Levy have split time at weak-side linebacker. Sims starts and mostly plays on running downs; Levy most often plays in passing situations. And though Sims was the more active player in the Week Eight loss to the Rams, making seven tackles, Levy's play has been strong overall. Big plays such as a key goal-line stop against Washington and his strong play in coverage raise the question: Could he supplant Sims? Don't rule it out. Levy is a little more physically stout than Sims and has shown good speed and power. Jim Schwartz has been careful not to heap too much praise on his rookie, saying that Levy has done some good things but that he also remains prone to rookie errors. But Schwartz also has said he would be comfortable with Levy as a starter, and we might see more of Levy down the stretch with an eye on 2010.

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