London's calling. Landon answered.
The Giants safety's long and winding interception return at Twickenham topped Week 7's Top "Performance Moments of the Week", presented by Bridgestone.
More than 22 minutes into their Week 7 matchup overseas against the Rams, New York had yet to find its footing. Eli Manning led three first-quarter drives without recording a first down. Their fourth campaign down the field stalled inside Los Angeles' red zone, and the Giants had to settle for a field goal. The early start time -- 9 a.m. ET -- was putting fans, and the Giants offense, to sleep, and a wake-up call was needed.
Enter Landon Collins. With 7:31 to go in the second quarter, Rams quarterback Case Keenum dropped back out of shotgun on a second-and-5 from his own 36. Keenum threw a dart to Tavon Austin, who was cutting across the middle, only for the ball to ricochet off the wideout's hands and into the arms of Collins. The safety immediately sped off to the right sideline, shedding two Rams tackles, only to encounter a wall of bodies. Sensing trouble, Collins juked back to the left and took off toward greener pastures.
Following his cavalry of downfield blockers, Collins made it all the way to the 10-yard line before encountering another scrum of players. With Rams center Tim Barnes the only remaining opponent between Collins and a pick-six, the safety spun off the big body, aided by a flattening block from linebacker Keenan Robinson, and dove into the end zone. Collins' 44-yard return, from pick to six, lasted 17 seconds, tied the game at 10 and brought the sleepy crowd in the suburbs of London to life.
Collins' pick was a sign of things to come for Keenum and the Giants' defense; the QB would go on to throw three more picks, one of which also went to Collins, in an embarassing 17-10 defeat.Â
Also on the countdown: A.J. Greenhauls in a prayer. ... Cleveland's sixth quarterback this season scampers for six! ... Matthew Stafford is clutch, again.
