S Landon Collins
November 9, 2016
Q: You came in as a highly touted prospect. Is this the kind of success that you envisioned?
A: Yes, definitely. As I kept on working and kept on understanding the defense and working on my craft, I definitely knew that I was going to get to this point.
Q: Do you model yourself after anybody while you are playing safety?
A: Yes. I model myself after Sean Taylor.
Q: At this point, do you see yourself as one of the best safeties in the league?
A: I am working at it. I am working on that. That is my goal, that is my ultimate goal, to be one of the best safeties and one of the most respected safeties in this league.
Q: What has been your secret?
A: Just coming in here and getting my work in, understanding what is going on, extra time in the film room and just paying attention to my details.
Q: How close do you think you are to becoming one of the best?
A: I don’t know. I don’t pay attention to that. I will look at that at the end of the year and I will see from there. I take each and every week as it goes and just play ball.
Q: Have people been whispering to you about the Pro Bowl?
A: Yeah, a lot of people. But I block it out because to get to the Pro Bowl, I have to continue doing what I am doing.
Q: Is it more satisfying because of what you went through as a rookie last year?
A: Yes, definitely because I went through some hard times, went through some struggles, had some bad games and then to come out and play the way that I am playing now, it is a really big weight off of my shoulders.
Q: Why did you not lose faith in yourself last year?
A: Because I know what kind of a player I am. Starting from high school, I knew that I was going to get to this level eventually and I was just going to have to continue to work at it.
Q: Does the draft still bother you?
A: It is still in the back of my mind. I still have a chip on my shoulder, definitely. But it is in the back of my mind, but right now, it doesn’t bother me as much.
Q: How much of that first interception was film work?
A: That one, you just play leverage. That is not film work. We knew the route concepts and how they play. That is the same formation that they ran in the week before we played them and we knew it was already coming to the flat. It started with the D-line. OV (Olivier Vernon) got the pressure on him to throw off his back leg and he overthrew his receiver and it came straight to me.
Q: We talked about how this defense had to play on the same page. When you go back and look on the film, is that what this defense is supposed to look like?
A: It is supposed to work at stages. It starts with the D-line. We always say that it starts with the D-line. If they get a pressure or a push back, then it is going to be a tackle for loss or a play in the backfield that gives us an interception or something like that and it starts with them. When they get going, we all get going.
Q: What is it like to get NFC Defensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks?
A: It is a relief, it is a blessing and it shows that your dedication and your hard work is being shown and showcased.
Q: Why is it a relief?
A: Because of my rookie year, just stuff like that, going through that.
Q: What kind of satisfaction do you get being with different guys back at safety each week and having to be the teacher at times?
A: I went through it, so it is really not as bad because the guys know what they are doing. Sometimes we have to do little things here or there, but just being on the same page is a great outcome and having the same communication with all three or four of my guys is fantastic.
Q: You are only a year and a half into your NFL career. Do you sense that you are becoming a leader on this team?
A: I take a leadership role every day. I have always been a leader on and off the field. The leadership on this defense is great and that is what I am trying to be, definitely.
Q: Is it hard to be a young guy and do that?
A: Last year was. I will tell you that much. But this year in my game plan, knowing that I am the veteran safety and knowing the defense in the back end and speaking up and telling people what has to be done and what has to be shown on the defense is a great feeling.
