Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jack Dempsey/AP/Shutterstock (13412771kn) Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) lines up against the Denver Broncos during an NFL football game, in Denver Texans Broncos Football, Denver, United States – 18 Sep 2022
Texans WR Nico Collins optimistic for more big plays
Collins posted a career-high in receiving yards in Week 4 against the Chargers.
Tuesday, Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins explained the play that resulted in his 58-yard reception in Week 4 vs. the Chargers:
“It was a simple little post route, man coverage. Davis (Mills) trusted me, and I trusted him. It was the perfect coverage for the opportunity to throw the post route, and Davis let it rip.”
Collins said that while it isn’t a play they have been able to unleash in games often so far this season, it is a play they practice quite a bit:
“It’s different in game-time. You’ve got to adjust to the defense. When the defense shows the coverage for the opportunity to throw the post route, you got to take it. That’s what Davis (Mills) did. We were talking about it on the sideline, what defensive scheme we thought was going to happen, and it was the perfect opportunity. It showed the right coverage, and he took a shot downfield.”
In regards to creating more of those kinds of opportunities, Collins stated:
“Just continue to work hard every day. Continue to go out there and work with your gang. Create opportunities. When it’s time to make a play, you got to make a play. Just got to go out there and play ball.”
Collins expressed the play was a confidence builder for him and a momentum builder for his team:
“Big-time, man. I feel like the team needed that spark, a little juice. We needed that. Davis (Mills) trusted me. Like I said, he took a shot, and he came back to Brandin (Cooks) with the slant route in the end zone. I feel like that momentum set us up for a great opportunity to come back and score the ball. I feel like, for that situation, we need to start like that and finish like that.”
Collins feels he is getting more acclimated to the NFL game:
“The game is starting to slow down a bit for me, but I feel like there’s still a lot of room for improvement on my game. I feel like you can never stop working on your game. I feel like that’s my goal. My focus is to continue to work on things that I feel like I need to work on and be a big player for the offense and team.”
The Texans wideout also said that QB Davis Mills can make all the throws:
“(Davis) Mills is an athlete. We’ve known he can make those type of throws, his accuracy. It was a great coverage for the defense, a great play. Davis (Mills) trusted his arm strength and trusted my catching ability. He knew I would be down there to make a play for him, so that’s what happened.”