Collins not doing the safety dance
Landon Collins may be going to the Pro Bowl this season, but he’s well aware he may have set the bar a little too high with the way he played last year. All he has to do is log onto Twitter to be reminded of that.
“I got a lot of those tweets. Tweets and comments that I didn’t have a great season like I did last year,” Collins said. “It happens.”
Collins is the team leader in tackles with 98 and has two interceptions, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Those numbers pale in comparison to what he did last season — 125 tackles, four sacks, a fumble recovery and five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
“I got a lot of eyes on me this year. I was on a lot of one on one’s with lineman and stuff like that. It’s kind of hard to get to the quarterback this time,” he said. “They’re definitely getting the ball out quicker and I didn’t get a lot of passes thrown my way. Should’ve had a couple more picks but, stuff happens.”
Collins believes he got the proper recognition for the hard work he’s put into the season and added the reputation as one of the premier safeties in the league he’s established for himself may have also factored into the decision.
“That could be one of the things,” he said. “I’m also consistent, durable and just playing hard each and every down. I come out there to play and I play for the love of the game and my passion everybody sees.”
Collins’ durability — he has started in 47 straight games — has been put to test recently and he had to leave last Sunday’s loss to the Eagles early in the second quarter while trying to play on an injured ankle.
The Giants safety did not participate in practice on Wednesday and even admitted he probably should not play the rest of the season but will continue to do everything he can to be out there.
“No, I should not (play). That’s the correct answer but that’s not my answer,” he said. “Just know my limitations. I think last week I couldn’t get too much pressure, I couldn’t hold the line of scrimmage, like if I got a block I couldn’t hold them off. That’s one of my limitations I have to know so I can get off a block and make a play.”
CONGRATS SNACKS?
Interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo congratulated Collins and Damon “Snacks” Harrison for their Pro Bowl recognition.
Only problem is Harrison technically did not make the Pro Bowl.
Harrison, the league’s leading run stopper, was named a fourth alternate at defensive tackle for the NFC but ultimately was not voted onto the roster by fans, players and coaches.
While Harrison is regarded as one of the best run-stuffing defensive tackles in the league, he has not made a Pro Bowl in his career and spent most of Tuesday evening retweeting fans and fellow players who were shocked he was snubbed once again.
Meanwhile, Spagnuolo thinks fourth alternate is still worthy of congratulations.
“I believe that anybody that gets recognized Pro Bowl wise is a complement for them and to their teammates,” Spagnuolo said. “So, I recognize them all together, to be honest with you.”
Yet Spagnuolo also admitted Harrison could have gotten a little more recognition.
“I do because — but I’m biased,” he said. “I just think he’s one of the premier inside, interior linemen in this league. Now, I don’t get my eyes on all of the other d-linemen, so I don’t want to pass judgement on that because I’m certainly looking at more offenses than I am defense. But, I’d be hard pressed to say that there’s many that do as many things as he does for us . ... I just know I’m a Damon Harrison fan.”
ELI AND FITZ
As the Giants head to Arizona this weekend, Eli Manning will be reunited with 2004 NFL Draft mate Larry Fitzgerald, who has also put together quite the career.
“Larry and I go back a long way,” Manning said. “Known him since college. We were up for the Heisman together our senior years and from then forward, I’ve kept up with him his whole time in Arizona, seen him around different times. Obviously last year, we both won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award together, so I was around him a bunch there. Just a great person. Great football player. I’ve played some Pro Bowls with him, thrown touchdowns to him in some Pro Bowls. So, we have a good relationship.”