New York Giants: Revisiting Landon Collins’ Unforgettable 2016 Season
New York Giants safety Landon Collins had a season for the ages in 2016. What was it that made his performance so special?
When Jerry Reese selected Landon Collins at No. 33 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft, skepticism immediately arose. Though Collins was a star in college, he was viewed as positionally ambiguous and a questionable fit with the New York Giants.
In 2016, however, Collins justified Reese’s gamble by putting forth one of the greatest seasons by a safety in NFL history.
When he was drafted in 2015, the primary criticism of Collins was that he was a linebacker in a safety’s body. His pass coverage was subpar, at best, and his rookie season offered little reason to believe he could silence his critics.
In his second NFL season, however, Collins came back in better shape and silenced every critic who had a negative word to say about him.
Collins was, unequivocally, the best player on a Giants defense that ranked second in the NFL in points allowed per game. He was everywhere the ball seemed to go and emerged as a galvanizing force when doubt would begin to seep in.
At 23 years of age—and he turned 23 after the Giants’ last game of the 2016 season—Collins is already one of the most feared and respected individuals in the NFL.
Collins finished the 2016 season with 125 total tackles, including 100 solo—strong enough numbers to establish that his effort was a constant. He added 4.0 sacks, a fumble recovery, and five stuffs at the line of scrimmage in a dominant display on the ground.
It was through the air, however, that Collins made the most significant progress.
Collins broke out with five interceptions, 18 passes defended, and a defensive touchdown. Previously labeled a non-factor against the pass, he ranked No. 2 amongst safeties in interceptions and No. 1 in passes defended.
On Pro Football Focus, Collins was rated as the No. 2 safety in the NFL, including rankings of No. 3 against the run and No. 16 in pass coverage.
Strong as that all may be individually, it’s the collective numbers that made 2016 such a special season.
According to Pro-Football-Reference, Collins is the first player to record at least 100 tackles, five interceptions, four sacks, and a defensive touchdown in a single season since 2000. It was Rodney Harrison, a Hall of Famer, who hit those marks in 2000.
Prior to Harrison, no player had achieved the feat since Wilber Marshall did it twice in the 1980s.
Between his production and timely plays, Collins disproved preconceived notions and earned an All-Pro First Team nod. That was the ultimate vindication for a player who fell out of the first round due to criticism that’s since been proven as unfounded.
Collins will need to play at this level for more than one season to truly validate his status as an NFL superstar, but he’s officially entered that rare territory.
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Due in large part to the performance by Landon Collins, 2016 was a season that New York Giants fans won’t soon forget.