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Giants Landon Collins continues to emerge as true superstar safety – Metro US
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Giants Landon Collins continues to emerge as true superstar safety

Giants Landon Collins continues to emerge as true superstar safety
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It was another standout performance from Landon Collins as the New York Giants safety provided the big play in Sunday’s 22-16 win over the Chicago Bears. His interception on the Bears final drive helped seal the game for what is now the Giants fifth straight win of the season.

And in Collins, the Giants now have an emerging playmaker and star at safety. In Sunday’s win, he tied for the team’s leader with six tackles but also a team-high three passes defended as well as that crucial interception. It is yet another marker in a season where Collins leads the team in interceptions and tackles.

In short, the second-year safety has put together a Pro Bowl campaign, this on the heels of a rather solid rookie season where he was a rare bright spot in the Giants secondary. But he has grown even more and is quickly becoming a personnel piece that opposing teams must respect and scheme around.

“It feels tremendously different. I’m confident in every call that I make. I’m confident in every position I’m in,” Collins said after the game. “I know how to just read; I know the concepts; I know where my help is at and I just play ball from there. The confidence level is through the roof than what it was last year.”

Over the past month he’s been nothing short of the best player on a Giants defense that is emerging and growing in confidence.

In the second half of the win over the Bears, they allowed just five rushing yards and shutout the Bears offense, who took a 16-9 lead over the Giants into halftime. The pass rush came on strong as the second half wore on, allowing Collins to play deeper and read plays. His fourth quarter interception came when he was able to sit back and play deep, giving him space and time to read and react.

He jumped in perfectly to intercept Jay Cutler’s pass and ice the game.

“Landon came up for us big again today. Anytime you can end the game on a play like that, that’s encouraging,” Giants head coach Ben McAdoo said. “Sideline was fired up, we were fired up for Landon, he made a heck of a play.”