Jalen Collins Held Up Well In First Nfl Start

[FentayeJones]

FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons rookie cornerback Jalen Collins, who had been waiting for an opportunity, held up well in his first NFL start against the Tennessee Titans.

Collins, a second-round pick from LSU, started at right cornerback and Robert Alford moved inside at nickel back, replacing Phillips Adams. Alford remained outside in the base defense.

Collins played 37 of the 54 defensive snaps (69 percent), but didn’t get any action from Titans quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who was making just his seventh NFL start.

“Each week, Collins, who’s one of our guys in our plan B development (program), has been working hard and getting the extra time in practice,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “I think his technique outside has been really improving, so it was great to see that carry over into the game.”

Collins has been starring on specials teams while waiting for his chance.

Collins missed most of the offseason after foot surgery. He struggled at times in the exhibition season, but continued to play hard through his mistakes.

At 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, Collins has the size that Quinn covets for the Falcons’ scheme. The coaches wanted to see improvement in his technique after his uneven exhibition season.

“Outside, if you can just get out of whack, that split second of your technique that it can go away from you,” Quinn said. “It’s every play and I think that’s one of the real messages for him. ‘Can I stay with it down after down?’ He’s got the speed and the length to do it, so it was really important for him to know that he can do it down after down.”

The coaches re-evaluated the secondary after the 31-21 loss to the Saints.

“We wanted to go back and look at some things, and we thought that would be one avenue to go about to try and just find the little ways to affect the team better,” Quinn said. “We moved Robert inside and Jalen outside. We’ll continue to work that and also worked Robenson Therezie some in our nickel safety package. Those are some of the things, in specific, that we worked on.”

http://atlantafalcons.blog.ajc.com/2015/10/26/jalen-collins-held-up-well-in-first-nfl-start/

[RING OF HONOR]

Im impressed with our secondary....when we upgrade the LBs and get a decent pass rush.. we will have a formidable defense.. If we hold the next 2 offenses to what they have been doing all year..(Tampa and 49ers) and with our bye week coming up...we could find ourselves in the top 10... and thats with no pass rush...just imagine when we get one..

[Dirtybird56]

Im impressed with our secondary....when we upgrade the LBs and get a decent pass rush.. we will have a formidable defense..

Yep. Then get a real #2 WR on offense, another TE and interior Olineman and we're lookin good

[Sponge]

I'm the biggest Collins "hater" on AFMB. I thought he was a huge reach for a early 2nd rd pick considering his inexperience in college and his foot surgery. Plus how awful he looked in preseason only made me reassure my opinion. I was wanting Gregory (with his baggage) since he fell to the 2nd. Him and Beasley opposite of each other would have been a dream. With that said, I will support him and hope to God he turns into a good CB. I want him to prove me wrong because that only makes our team better. I think by the middle of the 2017 season we will know for sure.

btw, this isn't a Collins hate post.

[TheFatboi]

I'm the biggest Collins "hater" on AFMB. I thought he was a huge reach for a early 2nd rd pick considering his inexperience in college and his foot surgery. Plus how awful he looked in preseason only made me reassure my opinion. I was wanting Gregory (with his baggage) since he fell to the 2nd. Him and Beasley opposite of each other would have been a dream. With that said, I will support him and hope to God he turns into a good CB. I want him to prove me wrong because that only makes our team better. I think by the middle of the 2017 season we will know for sure.

btw, this isn't a Collins hate post.

You will know that this year. All you have to do is watch when he's in with starters. I know he's good already. Just like I knew Tru and alf was good during their rough rookie seasons.

[Gnorts]

If we had Gregory we wouldn't need DB's...

Just kidding. I have no idea.

Hope it was the foot surgery/off season that caused Collins to play bad.

[Oldskooler]

I'm the biggest Collins "hater" on AFMB. I thought he was a huge reach for a early 2nd rd pick considering his inexperience in college and his foot surgery. Plus how awful he looked in preseason only made me reassure my opinion. I was wanting Gregory (with his baggage) since he fell to the 2nd. Him and Beasley opposite of each other would have been a dream. With that said, I will support him and hope to God he turns into a good CB. I want him to prove me wrong because that only makes our team better. I think by the middle of the 2017 season we will know for sure.

btw, this isn't a Collins hate post.

Randy Gregory?

Seriously?

Skinny Weed Man?

[bossFALCON™]

If Collins can at least be a solid corner on the outside we will be set at corner for a long time.

Tru and Collins will give us amazing size outside, while Alford will give us speed, quickness and playmaking ability in the slot.

I can't wait to watch our corners grow. I was a huge Grimes hater at first and it took him a solid two full seasons before he came around, but once he did he was one of the most solid and underrated cover corners in the league. 2011 he was just shutting guys down. I will never forget the game against Calvin Johnson when they barely threw at Grimes and when they tried him deep, he out jumped CJ to deflect the pass.

Hopefully Collins can grow like Grimes did.

[Mid-Nite-Toker]

If Collins can at least be a solid corner on the outside we will be set at corner for a long time.

Tru and Collins will give us amazing size outside, while Alford will give us speed, quickness and playmaking ability in the slot.

I can't wait to watch our corners grow. I was a huge Grimes hater at first and it took him a solid two full seasons before he came around, but once he did he was one of the most solid and underrated cover corners in the league. 2011 he was just shutting guys down. I will never forget the game against Calvin Johnson when they barely threw at Grimes and when they tried him deep, he out jumped CJ to deflect the pass.

Hopefully Collins can grow like Grimes did.

I thought TD was very unimpressive drafting cb(TD's forte) until Tru/Alf....Collins looks promising.

[MAD597]

I was happy to see Collins do well. We knew he was raw but seems he is being brought along at the correct pace.

Tru, Alford, Collins will be great CB's for a long time, each of them brings something different to the table.

[isproab]

He just needs time. I'm not sure why people think rookies have to step in and have little to no learning curve. The guy hasn't even played in half an NFL season.

[MAD597]

We do have some issues on this team I'm very impressed that the coaches continue to try and fix this as they go. We made many OL changes that look to have worked out well, we signed Wheeler at LB when we saw some deficiencies their, we move Collins to the outside and Alford inside when the Saints torched us.

This kind of mid PIRATED VIDEO IS ILLEGAL changes shows us the coaches will change with how our season goes which is refreshing.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

I'm the biggest Collins "hater" on AFMB. I thought he was a huge reach for a early 2nd rd pick considering his inexperience in college and his foot surgery. Plus how awful he looked in preseason only made me reassure my opinion. I was wanting Gregory (with his baggage) since he fell to the 2nd. Him and Beasley opposite of each other would have been a dream. With that said, I will support him and hope to God he turns into a good CB. I want him to prove me wrong because that only makes our team better. I think by the middle of the 2017 season we will know for sure.

btw, this isn't a Collins hate post.

Two things...

First we are only seven games into the kids Pro Career so to say he is a reach may turn into a style in a year or two.(although I understand your position on this as we may have still gotten him later in the draft)

Which leads me to "B", With Both of the ends you mentioned having "Size" issues it came down to EITHER OR not a get both pick between the two of them. And they choose the guy without the baggage, simple as that.(And yes, I like Gregory and wanted him too but after stepping back the decision made sense as you would put your team at a disadvantage potentially.)

Its not like Gregory is Lighting it up right now.

[Sui_Generis]

"Its not like Gregory is Lighting it up right now"

Given his propensity to smoke he may very well be lighting it up somewhere.

[zekeyboy1]

Meh..IT WAS THE TITANS WITH A BACKUP QB. Chevis Jackson woulda looked like a stud vs Mettenberger and those rec's ..Just sayin.

[zekeyboy1]

Hated the pick. And still do..Just my opinion of course..

[tldr]

He was going up against DGB... let's see how he does against Mike Evans.

[Mid-Nite-Toker]

Meh..IT WAS THE TITANS WITH A BACKUP QB. Chevis Jackson woulda looked like a stud vs Mettenberger and those rec's ..Just sayin.

Hated the pick. And still do..Just my opinion of course..

Not bad for playing with the 1st team...on the road.

[FalconFanSince1969]

I'm the biggest Collins "hater" on AFMB. I thought he was a huge reach for a early 2nd rd pick considering his inexperience in college and his foot surgery. Plus how awful he looked in preseason only made me reassure my opinion. I was wanting Gregory (with his baggage) since he fell to the 2nd. Him and Beasley opposite of each other would have been a dream. With that said, I will support him and hope to God he turns into a good CB. I want him to prove me wrong because that only makes our team better. I think by the middle of the 2017 season we will know for sure.

btw, this isn't a Collins hate post.

Do you know how bad our run defense would be with two 240 pounders on the line??

[vafalconfan]

I honestly did not know he was playing..never heard his name called and don't remember seeing him around the ball.

[DoYouSeeWhatHappensLarry]

Quinn is so detailed-oriented when he talks about gameplanning and the specific adjustments the team makes.

It's sooooooo refreshing. I've been so pleased with the early DQ era. Other than the poor management of 3rd/4th down on the goal line the coaching staff as a whole has done a very very good job.

If this team can smooth the wrinkles out, we could be a serious contender in the NFC.

[MACK4ttACK]

Alford at Nickel? I like that!

[insight]

Not sold on Collins. I wish him the best and hope he proves my eyes wrong.

The coaching staff has done a very good job getting the players to buy into the system it remains to be seen if we have enough talent to stand up to the stronger offensive teams.