| |  | |
 Kerry Collins gives the Ravens credit for taking him out of his game plan.
wav: 245 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
| | |
| | Monday, January 29
Collins separated shoulder in third quarter
Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. -- One day after the New York Giants' Super Bowl
meltdown, quarterback Kerry Collins disclosed he separated his
right shoulder during the third quarter.
| |  | |
| Collins |
"I wasn't coming out, though," Collins said Monday, following
his poor performance against the Baltimore Ravens.
Collins said Sam Adams, one of the Ravens' 300-pound plus
defensive linemen, fell on him with his "full weight," causing
the injury.
After the game, Michael Strahan walked up to Collins and gave
him a hug. It was a thank you from the defensive end.
Thanks for the season. Thanks for helping us get to the Super
Bowl. Thanks for helping to make us respectable again.
The hug was also Strahan's way of letting Collins know not to
worry about his four interceptions, including one that Duane Starks
returned for a touchdown in the Ravens' 34-7 victory Sunday night.
"I went up to him and gave him a hug and said 'Get back at it
next year,' " Strahan said. "And I think that's the great thing
about this. It gives us something to shoot for next year. I don't
think we knew what it took to get here before the season."
While Collins appreciated the support, he handled his dismal
performance against the Ravens' suffocating defense the same way he
has handled his problems with alcohol and being called a quitter
and a racist.
He was up front. He said he ..... well, played very poorly in
completing 15 of 39 passes for 112 yards.
"This is the most disappointing loss I have ever been involved
in," Collins said. "I am disappointed in the way I played. It
wasn't for a lack of effort or a lack of preparation. I didn't play
the way I wanted to."
The Ravens never let him, taking away the Giants' running game
(66 yards on 16 carries) and keeping Collins under constant
pressure while passing.
Collins was sacked four times, hit at least a half-dozen other
times and forced to scramble three times for 12 yards. His longest
completion was for only 19 yards. Only six of his completions were
to his wideouts, his main targets all season. His four
interceptions tied a Super Bowl record set by Jim Kelly in 1993.
"I didn't see the field well," said the 28-year-old
quarterback who set career highs this season of 3,610 yards and 22
touchdowns. "They did a great job of disguising coverages. They
just played well, and we didn't play well at all."
Collins' performance on Sunday was a far cry from his
near-perfect effort two weeks ago when he went 28-for-39 for 381
yards and five touchdowns in a 41-0 win over Minnesota in the NFC
Championship Game.
Collins was confident and in command that day against the
Vikings, the league's 28th-ranked defense.
The Ravens made Collins look confused. Many of his throws went
into good coverage, something he rarely did in getting the Giants
to the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
"I think I learned what it takes to get here," said Collins,
signed by the Giants in February 1998 after being let go by New
Orleans. "I think I learned what it takes to play well in this
league. I learned to play at a high level throughout the
playoffs."
Collins, who almost drank and played himself out of the league
in 1998, said the Super Bowl won't ruin his confidence.
"We'll be back. We'll be back," he said. "We'll live to fight
another day. It didn't work out today. I played terrible, but I'll
come back."
The Ravens got after Collins right from the start, forcing the
Giants' offense to the sidelines without a first down on five of
their first six series.
Baltimore's front seven pressured Collins from the first snap.
On several passes over the middle, linebacker Ray Lewis had a hand
up tipping the ball. Two almost were intercepted on the opening
drive.
And when Collins challenged the secondary, Starks, Chris
McAlister, Kim Herring and Rod Woodson were there to make plays.
In the end, Collins ended up losing his poise, and that cost the
Giants the game.
Trailing 10-0 late in the second quarter, Collins drove the
Giants from their own 28 to the Ravens 29, hitting Ron Dixon for 16
yards and having Tiki Barber run for 27 more.
Collins then tried to force a deep post pattern into double
coverage to Ike Hilliard. McAlister easily picked it off, killing
the Giants' best scoring opportunity of the half.
"The coverage I thought I was going to get after I took the
snap wasn't what we saw," Collins said. "I have Ike running free,
and it was just a misread on my part."
Starks' interception return came on a quick slant to Amani
Toomer. Starks reacted like he knew the play call, and he ran
untouched into the end zone for a 17-0 lead.
"The way I feel about him is not going to change," Giants
coach Jim Fassel said. "He played well. It wasn't one of his
better games today. It doesn't change the fact I think he is a
big-time quarterback."
Against the Ravens, Collins wasn't.
It's why he got a hug from big Michael Strahan.
| |
