Zero2Cool
13 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
Zero2Cool (14-Nov) : He probably plays DB.
Zero2Cool (14-Nov) : I don't even know who that Don is
packerfanoutwest (14-Nov) : What position does Lemon play ?
dfosterf (14-Nov) : I read this am that Don Lemon quit x, so there's that
Zero2Cool (13-Nov) : Seems some are flocking to BlueSky and leaving Tweeter. I wonder if BlueSky allows embeded lists
beast (12-Nov) : He's a review guy
Zero2Cool (12-Nov) : Jordy Nelson is still in the NFL.
Zero2Cool (11-Nov) : Ok, will do.
wpr (11-Nov) : Kevin, donate it to a local food pantry or whatever she wants to do with it. Thanks
wpr (11-Nov) : Kevin,
Zero2Cool (11-Nov) : Wayne, got your girl scout order.
dfosterf (11-Nov) : I believe Zero was being sarcastic
dfosterf (11-Nov) : Due to that rookie kicker Jake Bates that Zero said "he didn't want anyway". 58 yarder to tie the game, 52 yarder to win it. In fairness,
Mucky Tundra (11-Nov) : Lions escape with a win
Mucky Tundra (11-Nov) : and now Goff looking better
Mucky Tundra (11-Nov) : Goff with ANOTHER INT
Mucky Tundra (11-Nov) : and now Stroud throwing INTs
Mucky Tundra (11-Nov) : Goff having an ATROCIOUS game
wpr (11-Nov) : Happy birthday Corps. Ever faithful. Thanks dfosterf.
Mucky Tundra (10-Nov) : stiff armed by Baker Mayfield for about 5-7 yards and still managed to get a pass off
Mucky Tundra (10-Nov) : Nick Bosa
wpr (8-Nov) : Jets are Packers (L)East
Zero2Cool (8-Nov) : Jets released K Riley Patterson and signed K Anders Carlson to the practice squad.
wpr (8-Nov) : Thanks guys
Mucky Tundra (7-Nov) : Happy Birthday wpr!
Zero2Cool (7-Nov) : Anders Carlson ... released by 49ers
dfosterf (7-Nov) : Happy Birthday!😊😊😊
wpr (7-Nov) : Thanks Kevin.
Zero2Cool (7-Nov) : Happy Birthday, Wayne! 🎉🎂🥳
beast (7-Nov) : Edge Rushers is the same... it's not the 4-3 vs 3-4 change, it's the Hafley's version of the 4-3... as all 32 teams are actually 4-2
Zero2Cool (6-Nov) : OLB to DE and player requests trade. Yet folks say they are same.
beast (5-Nov) : In other news, the Green Bay Packers have signed Zero2Cool to update their website 😋 jk
beast (5-Nov) : Might just re-sign the kicker we got
beast (5-Nov) : Are there any kickers worth drafting next year?
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Preston Smith for Malik Willis
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Getting a 7th rounder from the Stillers
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : At least we get 7th round pick now!! HELLO NEW KICKER
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Steelers getting a premier lockdown corner!
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Packers are trading edge rusher Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers, per sources.
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Preston Smith traded to the Steelers!!!!
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : CB Marshon Lattimore to Commanders
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Bears are sending RB Khalil Herbert to the Bengals, per sources.
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : ZaDarius Smith continues his "north" tour.
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Let the Chiefs trade a 5th for him
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Nearing 30, large contract, nope.
Martha Careful (5-Nov) : any interest in Marshon Lattimore?
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : What does NFL do if they're over cap?
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : They've been able to constantly push it out through extensions, void years etc but they're in the hole by 72 million next year I believe
hardrocker950 (4-Nov) : Seems the Saints are always in cap hell
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : Saints HC job is not an envious one; gonna be in cap hell for 3 years
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