Zero2Cool
14 years ago
http://www.espnmilwaukee.com/includes/news_items/40/news_items_more.php?id=5567§ion_id=40 

ARLINGTON, Texas Nick Collins looked lonely.

It was Wednesday morning, and Collins, the Green Bay Packers three-time Pro Bowl safety, found himself all alone at a small table inside the restaurant at the Omni Mandalay hotel at Las Colinas, reading USA Today. While the Super Bowl XLV media throng swarmed table after table, there sat Collins, thumbing through the sports section.

I get no respect around here, he said with a big smile. But its OK. Everybody will see me one day.

That day was Sunday.

Collins 37-yard first-quarter pick-six interception return for a touchdown created a tidal wave of momentum that, while the Packers werent able to sustain it through yet another rash of injuries, certainly helped lift them to their 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys Stadium.

Collins touchdown, which came 18 seconds after the Packers first touchdown and gave Green Bay a 14-0 lead, was the first of three turnovers the Packers defense forced. The offense turned the other two into touchdowns as well, giving the Packers 21 points off turnovers

All this while his more famous safety counterpart, the NFLs new Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu, was being beaten for a pair of touchdowns by Greg Jennings.

I dont appreciate (being less recognizable than Polamalu), but I accept it, Collins said that Wednesday morning after putting down his newspaper. Like I said before, one day somebody will recognize that Im a three-time Pro Bowler. But its all good. I might need to change my image. I need to do something. But Im me. I love what I do. So Im going to stick to what I know and what Ive had a lot of success doing.

In the Packers scheme, that means playing mostly in coverage and serving as the last line of defense. On his interception, Collins took advantage of defensive end Howard Greens hit on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and claimed the fluttering pass intended for Mike Wallace before weaving his way to the end zone for the score, his fifth career interception return for a touchdown but first since 2008, when he had three in the regular season.

I was able to read Big Ben and got a nice jump on the ball, Collins said. I made a couple cuts to get into the end zone. I was a high-school running back, so I know what to do when the ball is in my hands. I was just reading Bens eyes. When I saw it floating up there, I just wanted to make sure that I caught it.

Collins was just as important the rest of the night, as injuries to Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson (broken collarbone) and nickelback Sam Shields (shoulder) left him in charge of a secondary that was forced to play dime back Jarrett Bush as the No. 2 corner and little-used backup Pat Lee as the nickel along with Pro Bowler Tramon Williams.

Nevertheless, Bush, who delivered a second-quarter interception that the Packers also turned into points, and Lee were able to get the job done, in part because they had Collins directing traffic in the back end. The Packers third takeaway, a fumble forced by Clay Matthews and recovered by Desmond Bishop, led to the teams final touchdown.

Thats been one of the keys to our run in the playoffs, being able to take the ball away, said defensive coordinator Dom Capers, whose team finished its four-game playoff run having forced 11 turnovers while the team gave it away just five times. If you look at the playoffs and you look at these Super Bowl games, the things that affect them the most are the takeaways-giveaways. That had a big impact on this game.

That it did, and it was the relatively anonymous Collins who got it all started. Afterward, he called the interception the highlight of my day and winning the Super Bowl title a dream come true. But maybe itll turn out to be more than that.

On Thursday, inside the same hotel restaurant, Collins was seen at another table as hed been the day before. Only this time, there was a crowd there. Later, when the media session ended, someone mentioned to Collins that his table had looked much busier than it had the day before. Collins just laughed.

That wasnt for me, he said, shaking his head. I was sharing the table with Tramon. Everybody wanted to talk to him.

On Sunday night, though, it was Collins who was the talk of the town.

"Jason Wilde" wrote:


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Fan Shout
beast (12h) : Yeah, but also some of the wording suggestions Jax only pranked called the QB, not the others... and if he had an open spreadsheet & 3 calls
beast (12h) : Thank goodness he's not leaving the Turtle in the Red Tide
Mucky Tundra (12h) : Cowboys 1st round pick Tyler Booker will indeed be bringing his pet turtle to Dallas with him
Mucky Tundra (13h) : that contained all prospects info and contact
Mucky Tundra (13h) : beast, according the Falcons statement Jax came across it on an ipad. If I had to guess, probably an open spread sheet or something
Zero2Cool (13h) : Simmons put up an emoji with cheese.
beast (13h) : Not sure anyone is interested in Isaiah Simmons... Collin Oliver might of taken his potential slot
beast (13h) : I'm going with Jax Ulbrich is not telling the whole truth... he accidentally came across it? Why would a defensive coordinator have a QB #?
Zero2Cool (14h) : He's not that great, but final piece of the script.\
Zero2Cool (14h) : If we add Isaiah Simmons, book your Super Bowl tickets
Mucky Tundra (14h) : Colts 1st round TE Tyler Warren also got prank called, was that Jax Ulbrich as well?
Zero2Cool (14h) : Jax Ulbrich, Jeff Ulbrich’s son, released an apology for his role in the Shedeur Sanders prank call.
Martha Careful (14h) : apparently he did not participate in practice or play on the east west shrine game nor the NFL combine. The kid was a mediocre spoiled brat
Mucky Tundra (15h) : Yeah that one that was a super wounded duck that Sanders supporters are highlighting to prove a point
Zero2Cool (15h) : Shough is the guy who missed guys at combine isn't he?
beast (15h) : It's not official until I'm dead! I have a chance still! (Not really)
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : I could feel my body decomposing in real time when I read that
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : @MIKEYSAINRISTIL Tyler Shough will officially be the last person drafted to the NFL born in the 1900’s
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : saw the tweet, he meant the city
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : Was that for the team or the city?
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter · 3m Draft grade is in: Green Bay gets an A. The people, the city, the venue were all superb. NFL Draft’s next
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Matt LaFleur says Jaire Alexander is participating in #Packers offseason program, which has been conducted virtually during this first week
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : ✅ ...
buckeyepackfan (26-Apr) : Check
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Matthew Golden cahanged 81 to 22??
TheKanataThrilla (26-Apr) : Sam Howell to Vikings...guess no Aaron
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : 1 round 7 min, with one extra minute if there is a trade. 2nd round 4 minutes, 3rd -3, 2 thereafter IMO
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Agree
dfosterf (26-Apr) : Great idea imo
dfosterf (26-Apr) : 1st round to 7 minutes with one extension
dfosterf (26-Apr) : NFL comissioner wants to shorten the 2st
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : @jalenreagors They’re discussing if Sheduer can go back to college on NFL Network LMFAOOOOO
beast (26-Apr) : Great point Martha
beast (26-Apr) : Buddy Ryan used to say if a candy bar goes missing, there are two to blame, Rex and Rob 🤪 jk 😁
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Bum Phillips used to say there are two ways to get better. Get better players or get players to play better. We have a new DL coach
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Yes. Look at the losses last year. They can win.
beast (26-Apr) : Can Packers win with their current DL?
bboystyle (26-Apr) : waiting for a pass rusher.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes between picks in the 3rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 3rd. Hate this phone
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 4rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes in the 4
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 7 minutes between picks in the 2nd round
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : Sorry to bitch, but the headline writers in that section absolutely mislead, or don't know how to read. It is maddening
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : No thanks. Not a dependable guy to be in the right place and run the right route. Dumb as a box of rocks.
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : Losing 2nd round pick for a one year rental, not ideal. Especially a headcase.
TheKanataThrilla (25-Apr) : Pickens for Jaire may be interesting. Definitely not sure we want Pickens long term.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : No.Absolutely not
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : NO NO NO NO NO NO!!1 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
dhazer (25-Apr) : scenario: Our main prospects are off the board when our pick comes around, do we just throw a 2nd round pick at Pittsburgh for Pickens
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