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Thursday Media Transcript: Safety Landon Collins

Eric from BBI : Admin : 9/20/2018 2:25 pm
Safety Landon Collins
September 20, 2018
 
Q: What do you guys have to do to contain those zone reads?
A: We got some work in that we figured out how to stop it. We worked it in practice, and it’s been working for us, keeping us in-tune, and not having us to read a lot.
 
Q: Was it something that you guys weren’t executing right? Or was it something you guys need to change?
A: We just had to change the way we were playing it. We just weren’t reading it the correct way. It was just too much to read.
 
Q: What quarterback runs those plays in practice?
A: Kyle (Lauletta), does. He’s the most athletic, and he’s the youngest. He’s got those young legs (laughter).
 
Q: Talk about the problems QB Deshaun Watson poses.
A: He’s explosive with this legs, his arms, his vision, escaping the pocket, and giving his guys down field more time to be able to throw the ball, and get open so they can catch it. He has all those techniques. It’s something we have to cover.
 
Q: What do you do to stop the top rushing team?
A: We try to stop it. They’re the top rushing team for a reason. They’re doing really good at what they do best. Like I said, we just got to do what we do best on defense, stop the run, and try to get them in long distances so we can get off the field.
 
Q: Is it accurate to say you evaluate your performance and you tell yourself more can be done to impact this game?
A: We harp on it. We harp on stripping the ball out, trying to get interceptions, trying to get them to throw us one. Sometimes, it just doesn’t pan out that way. Eventually, it will. Last week, we could’ve had two, but sometimes it just doesn’t go that way.
 
Q: How about for you personally?
A: No, I’m just doing my job within the defense. Like I said, a lot of teams key in on me when I’m down. A lot of stuff is sliding my way, but that’s opening up looks for other guys. That’s a plus, because last week we had a blitz, and I’m down disguising it. The whole line and the back slid my way. (LB) Ray-Ray (Armstrong) shot free towards the quarterback, and he had to throw it in the air. They’re going to key in on me while I’m down there. Like I said, we got blitzes coming from everywhere. You never know really who’s coming.
 
Q: Is that difficult to do? Being a decoy?
A: At the end of the day, a play is going to come. You got to be patient. I’m not forcing anything. I’m just doing my job, because if they do try me, I’m going to make it count. If I don’t, I hope my other guys do, and they will, and they have.
 
Q: What’s the key to getting off to a faster start on defense?
A: Coming out fast, that’s about it. It’s really just hitting the guys in the mouth that’s across the ball from us, honestly. Playing tough on defense. We have the guys, we know what we have to do. We show it throughout the game. We just have to do it once the first snap hits.
 
Q: Do you think guys are thinking too much?
A: Not really, because the first five calls are very simple, and sometimes they get a big play. Jacksonville, they hit us over the head one time. Same thing with Dallas, but once we settled down after those first three or four plays, we’re good.
 
Q: What specifically about DeAndre Hopkins’ physicality makes him so difficult to cover?
A: His ability to catch the ball anywhere. If it’s in arms-length, I would say even fingers-length, he can definitely catch it. That’s what he does.
 
Q: Physically, he’s just gifted, right?
A: Physically he’s just gifted. If the ball is in his area, it’s more than likely a 90% chance it’s his ball. He’s that good of an athlete to do that.
 
Q: Most people don’t talk about (Texans WR Will) Fuller V, but he’s a speed demon. How worried do you have to be about him?
A: He’s definitely on our radar. We got to keep him covered too. We got guys that know what they’re doing. We’ve got a coverage that knows how to keep contained and keep him in front of us, so we don’t have those big plays over the top of us.
 
Q: How much do you have to be concerned about (QB) Deshaun Watson’s ability to extend plays and find his receivers down field?
A: That’s one of our biggest concerns is keeping him contained. If we keep him in the pocket, I think we do a better job with that because if he gets outside the pocket, he’s a different player, a different dynamic. Then, he can turn third-and-15’s into first downs with his legs. We got to keep him contained, that’s the biggest thing.
 
Q: What challenge does him holding the ball like that, waiting for something to open up, present for you guys in the back end?
A: When he’s holding the ball like that, we’ve got to know that we have to match their guys. Now, it turns to man coverage in the back, and making sure everybody is in front of us and that when he does throw the ball in the air, it’s our ball.
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