FOXBORO, Mass. — Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan said it best about Jamie Collins after New England’s Week 3 win over the Houston Texans: “You watch the film, he’s everywhere except for with the media.”
Needless to say, the Patriots’ linebacker lets his play speak for itself most of the time. He has 23 tackles with one sack, three pass breakups and two interceptions in three games this season. Perhaps the best game of his career came in Week 3, when he had 14 tackles and an interception. Ex-Patriots executive Michael Lombardi said recently on The Bill Simmons Podcast that he used to approach Collins and tell him the defense can be as good as he makes it. That’s been the case this season. The Patriots’ best defensive effort came in Collins’ best game.
Collins seldom meets with the media and is nowhere to be found after games, which is extremely rare for a Pro Bowl-caliber player. Collins doesn’t take the Marshawn Lynch silent approach when he does stand at his locker and answer questions, however.
Here’s what Collins had to say Wednesday in his first media availability of the season.
On what has changed with Dont’a Hightower out:
“To me, nothing. I’m going to do me regardless, no matter who’s in there.”
On if his role changed:
“I mean, it did. But like I said, I’m always going to do me regardless, and that’s play football.”
On if his preparation changes with green dot:
“No.”
On turnovers:
“It’s just happening, man. We’re out here trying to win. And if we’re going to win, that’s what we gotta do, turn the ball over.”
On if the media makes too much of the green dot:
“Yeah. Everyone makes too much of the green dot. It ain’t nothing. Everybody just looks at it different. The green dot don’t mean nothing.”
On if he bulked up:
“Nah. I’m the same size.”
On if he lost weight when he was sick last season:
“Yeah. Obviously.”
On if he’s bulked up since then:
“Yeah.”
On what he has to do about Tyrod Taylor’s elusiveness:
“Just the same thing. Same thing I’ve been doing, playing football. Me, playing football.”
On the biggest challenge of Buffalo’s offense:
“Just keeping them out of the end zone. That’s our job as a defense — keep the offense from scoring. That’s what we try to do.”
On what’s changed in his fourth year:
“A lot of things changed. People come in. People are in and out every day. You see their faces every day. A lot of things change around here. A lot of things. Everything. Everywhere.”
On if the defense has taken the next step:
“It is what it is. I ain’t striving for nothing like that. I’m just out here doing what I can, what’s best for the team, and that’s be better and be great.”
On if he feels pressure being told the Patriots’ defense is as good as he can make it:
“It’s no pressure for me. I’m always going to come out here and do what I do.”
On if some game plans allow him to make more plays:
“I don’t know nothing about all of that. Like I told you, man, I come here, do what I do every day, and that’s my job, and that’s try to make plays.”
On Jerod Mayo calling Collins the team’s MVP after three games:
“I appreciate it, but I’m doing me. I’m trying to get it, regardless.”
On Chris Long:
“He’s a starter. If you’re playing, you can help, obviously. When you’re on the field, you’re all type of help.”
On LeSean McCoy:
“He’s fast. He’s fast, quick, everything”
On what he’s seen from Dont’a Hightower as a captain:
“The person I’ve seen since I first got here as a rookie. Same person.”
On if he’s where he wants to be physically and mentally:
“No, definitely not. There’s always room for improvement. I’m just trying to get there every day by coming here and doing what I do.”
On what he needs to do:
“Everything. That’s anything — getting faster, stronger, bigger, seeing things quicker. Whatever it may be to make me better. Whatever.”
On Matt Patricia being a head coaching candidate:
“I don’t know nothing about none of that. All I know is, it’s got nothing to do with me. I came here to do what I do and stay business. That’s their personal life, got nothing to do with me.”
On how he can take the next step in his career:
“Just keep doing what I’m doing if I can get to the next (step in my) career. Everybody ain’t promised the next day.”
On comfort of continuity on defense:
“Yeah, but at the same time, you have to adjust, man. As long as you know how to adjust, you’re good.”
On the pressure of being on the last year of his deal:
“Nah. I ain’t worried about none of that. I’m going to come out here and do what I do regardless. Regardless.”
On if he saw himself as a star linebacker as a QB in high school:
“Nah. Nah. I didn’t see myself as a quarterback in the NFL.”
On if he can play quarterback:
“Yeah, I can play whatever. Whatever it is, I don’t care what the level is. I don’t care what the level is, whatever it is you need me to do, I’m doing it.”
Quarterback included?
“Yeah.”
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
