New York Giants: Landon Collins challenges Tony Romo

The New York Giants will be opening their season against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

For Giants’ rookie Landon Collins, it will be his first game in the NFL and he will be trying to stop a talented offense. The Giants’ secondary has been decimated by injuries, especially at safety, which makes the play of Collins very important.

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The Giants selected Collins with the first pick of the second round in the 2015 NFL Draft from Alabama, and they will be throwing him right into the fire in Week 1.

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In college, Collins was known for his aggressive, downhill style of play which should translate into him being a big help for the Giants defending the run. The weaknesses of Collins in college were mostly in pass coverage, and against a veteran quarterback like Tony Romo, that could be a problem.

The Cowboys are going to different in 2015 compared to 2014, as the loss of DeMarco Murray could greatly hurt their offensive production. Without Murray, Romo, and the Cowboys may have to throw the ball a lot more in 2015, which may start against the Giants.

With a rookie safety in the middle of the field, Romo may be targeting Collins.

“He comes towards my way,” Collins said to Zack Braziller of the New York Post with a grin, “and he won’t be happy.”

“If he’s going to look for key matchups, he’s going to pick on me,” Collins said to Braziller. “He’s not going to get what he wants, but he’s going to get what he wants.”

Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin isn’t worried about Collins struggling in his debut.

“I’m confident in him. You bet I am,” Coughlin said to Braziller.

“Because he’s a good football player,” Coughlin said to Braziller. “And he’s demonstrated that throughout his collegiate career and he was taken in the second round.”

Collins has played in huge games in Alabama, and the big stage of Sunday Night Football doesn’t seem to be making him nervous.

“I’m not going to be nervous because it’s just a game,” said Collins to Braziller. “It’s a big game, but it’s a game. Go out there and play my heart out. … I love challenges because it gets the best out of the player. It pushes us to the limit.”

Collins has confidence in himself and the Giants’ defense to make a statement as underdogs in Dallas. Many believe that the Giants will have one of the worst defenses in the league, but Collins believes that the Giants will be proving a point on Sunday.

“I think we’re all excited, definitely, because we’ve got a point to prove,” Collins said. “A lot of people are doubting us. It’s something that we look forward to. They’re going to put us as underdogs. We’re going to showcase why we shouldn’t be underdogs.”

When the Giants play the Cowboys it is always a big deal, and for Collins, he will be thrown into one of the best rivalries in football in his first game.

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