Alabama Football: Landon Collins Delivers Best Defensive Play of Week 4
By Gabrielle McMillen
@GabbyMcMillen
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Going into halftime, the Florida Gators looked like they were giving the Alabama Crimson Tide a run for their money in both teams’ first SEC game of the year. In the third quarter, Florida managed to tie Alabama, leading some to wonder if this was going to be a huge upset. Fortune then began to favor the Crimson Tide and was capped off with the best defensive play of the week. Defensive back Landon Collins looked like a wide receiver when he intercepted the ball with an impressive one-handed catch. This pick allowed Alabama to widen the lead to 42-21, which was the final score.
To pull off a one-handed catch is difficult for any player, but for a defensive player to do so is an unnatural feat. Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel threw a laser intended for Quinton Dunbar. Collins’ pick happened so fast that the cameras had to readjust its angle as he scrambled to gain a few yards for Alabama. Compared to the other shaky games in the SEC and the one-handed catches made by offensive players Ryan Burbrink for Bowling Green and Damon Powell for Iowa, Collins made a splash that officially sealed his leadership role for the Crimson Tide defense.
Collins, a junior from Geismar. La., has become an irreplaceable force for the Crimson Tide defense. Last season, he was a huge force on special teams, starting for nine games. He used his speed to return an interception 89 yards for a score against Tennessee in 2013, garnering an SEC Defensive Player of the Week honor following the Vols game. Collins is eligible to be drafted by the NFL this January, although it’s unsure if he wants to stay another year at Alabama. Either way, if he keeps executing monumental defensive acts, he will be playing football on Sunday nights in the near future.
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