Rams' Little comes up big at DE spot

ST. LOUIS -- Size is overrated, as Leonard Little showed the Detroit Lions.

The St. Louis Rams' lightweight defensive end gave up about 130 pounds to his opposite number, 380-pound Aaron Gibson, and came up with a career-best three sacks in the 35-0 shutout Monday night. Though he has trouble putting on pounds, Little has the equalizer.

"He understands with the speed he has how effective he can be chasing plays down from behind," coach Mike Martz said. "You see a pass completed 10 or 15 yards down the field, and you'll see No. 91 in the picture."

Little, a third-round draft pick in 1998, also had four tackles, two assists and two quarterback pressures. He also forced a fumble that teammate Grant Wistrom returned for a touchdown, but that was called back because Rams coaches and players were on the field.

Numerous line stunts helped pave the way for his big day.

"I was waiting for that day for a long time," Little said. "Monday it was time."

Being undersized is a big part of Little's motivation.

"What drives me to perform is people saying I'm too small for the position and that I can't play the position, or I'm not as good as I was in college," Little said. "That really drives me."

Little, a linebacker in college at Tennessee, said he'd like to weigh closer to 270 pounds. He can't get there no matter how much he tries or how much food he consumes, with his body fat at a minuscule 4 percent.

"I'm the type of person that I can eat anything and not have that much fat put on my body," Little said as the Rams prepared this week for Sunday's home game against the New York Giants. "Sometimes guys are mad at me because they can eat just a little bit and gain a lot of weight, and I can eat a whole lot and won't gain a pound."

Actually, Little put on about 20 pounds in the offseason. But he's still about 20 pounds lighter than Wistrom, the Rams' other defensive end.

"I was able to keep my speed, me and the trainers looked out for that," Little said. "I haven't done a 40 in a long time so I don't know how fast I am, but I think I'm like I was back in college."

Little's game against the Lions helped him forget his personal problems, at least for a time. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in a vehicular homicide in 1999, the Rams' Super Bowl season.

"It stays on my mind 24-7," Little said. "It's a constant thing for me and I'll never forget about that.

"That's just something I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life, but it's good to have good times like having a good game Monday."