USAT: "Patience paying off for Redskins' Collins"

[FrFan]

Patience paying off for Redskins' Collins

By Skip Wood, USA TODAY

ASHBURN, Va. — It's raining with a wind-enhanced cold at Redskins Park during this day-after-Christmas late afternoon. Although secretaries have placed several large trays of holiday cookies in the lobby for anyone who ambles by between meetings, the Washington Redskins' players know they'll be chilled and soaked during their rapidly approaching practice. Not an especially cheery thought.

But considering what this team has endured this season, a little outdoor misery is nothing.

Star safety Sean Taylor has been murdered in his home in Miami. Some of their other top players have missed significant portions of the season because of injury. There have been botched calls by famed coach Joe Gibbs, maddening losses in which they squandered second-half leads and an unmistakable sense as recently as a month ago that the season was all but lost.

But then, following a three-game losing streak that put the team's record at 5-7 with four games to play, a funny thing happened — preceded by yet another blow. When starting quarterback Jason Campbell suffered a dislocated kneecap during the first half of Game 13, against the Chicago Bears, players wondered what else could possibly go wrong.

So far, little.

And the Redskins have resurrected themselves behind the most unlikely of unifiers — career backup quarterback Todd Collins, who hadn't started an NFL game in 10 seasons. They have won three consecutive games and, with a win Sunday at home against the Dallas Cowboys, will make the playoffs.

Collins, 36, had last started a game in December 1997, when he was in his third, and what proved to be final, season with the Buffalo Bills. He spent the next eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, for whom he played in a total of 12 games and attempted 27 passes. In the Redskins' past three games, he has completed 61% of his 74 passes without an interception, totaling 644 yards, four touchdowns and a 107 passer rating.

"When … you are in real games against real defenses and in games you have to have," Gibbs says, "I don't think anyone could expect (him) to play like that."

Says linebacker Marcus Washington: "He's a very special part of this team, (and) I don't think we could have asked for anything more than what he's done. He's done a great job."

Collins smiles.

"Patience," he says. "It's all about patience."

Familiar system

The Massachusetts native arrived here two years ago as an unrestricted free agent at the urging of the man who had tutored him for most of his eight seasons with the Chiefs, Washington associate head coach-offense Al Saunders. Collins knew Saunders' complex system from watching Trent Green run it on the field while Collins ran it in his head.

But with the Redskins he remained on the sideline behind Mark Brunell, then Campbell (the team's first-round draft pick in 2005). Although Collins beat Brunell for the No. 2 job during the 2007 training camp, Campbell had been drafted to become the team's long-term quarterback.

More than a decade earlier, Collins appeared to have the same status with the Bills, who had made him a second-round draft pick out of Michigan in 1995. He spent two seasons learning under future Hall of Famer Jim Kelly and won the starting job coming out of training camp in 1997.

But soon the happy days would go poof.

Collins started 13 games that season, but had more rocky moments than the coaches expected, and spent three games benched in favor of Alex Van Pelt. Then, after the season, Buffalo signed Doug Flutie and acquired Rob Johnson in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Collins soon was gone, to Kansas City.

He still wonders about his sudden fall in Buffalo.

"It's just that I thought I was playing fairly decent the first half of the season, and then for whatever reason they all of the sudden went with Van Pelt," he says. "I wasn't there very long and maybe could have gotten more of a chance, but that's the same situation a lot of younger players in this league sometimes find themselves in.

"So you just stay patient."

Patient he was, scrutinizing and memorizing Saunders' system with two organizations. So when Campbell went down and Collins went in, Redskins running back Ladell Betts wasn't worried.

"With Todd, it's not like a rookie going in there where you're a little more nervous and (we) aren't sure if he's up to speed on the NFL game," Betts says. "Besides, he's been learning the same offense for 10 years, so we really didn't have to wonder whether he was mentally ready."

Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs, who played collegiately at Ohio State, says Collins has been "unbelievable," and has played "like he hasn't missed a beat."

Springs pauses and adds with a devilish smile: "I hate to say that, because he's a Michigan guy, and he hurts me — he gives me such a hard time in the locker room. But he's such an inspiration for us on offense (and) defense."

Collins immediately noticed a welcome demeanor from his teammates after Campbell got hurt.

"I mean, some guys have come up to me and said they know I can do it, or that they knew I could do it but other guys just operate like nothing every happened," he says. "You didn't see panic in anybody's eyes. No one was telling me to do this and do that.

"They've just kind of let me go out and do my thing, and that means a lot to me."

Now he will face his last coach in Buffalo, Wade Phillips, when the Cowboys come calling this weekend. Phillips, now Dallas' head coach, took over the Bills after the 1997 season, replacing Marv Levy. Phillips saw Collins briefly before the Bills waived him. "He evidently kept studying the game and was ready to play any time," Phillips says. "That is what it takes. … I think their passing game is as good as it was with Campbell in there. It has been impressive (and) I am glad for him because he stuck in there for a long time."

So what happened with the Bills?

"He was young and they threw him in there — that's my opinion," Phillips says. "They threw him in there and said, 'You are going to take Jim Kelly's place.' He wasn't quite ready yet."

Rough patches

The Redskins this season showed few signs of being ready to make the playoffs. Starting offensive linemen Jon Jansen and Randy Thomas were injured early. The team needed overtime to defeat the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets. It got shellacked by the New England Patriots, 52-7. Then there was Taylor's death. He was shot in his home just outside Miami early the morning following a Washington loss at Tampa Bay. Taylor hadn't made the trip with the team because of an injured knee, and was visiting his longtime girlfriend and their infant daughter when the shooting occurred.

The team lost its next game to the Bills, 17-16, when Rian Lindell made a 36-yard field goal after the Redskins were penalized 15 yards for calling consecutive timeouts — a rule Gibbs later said he hadn't known. Team owner Dan Snyder and the entire team then flew to Miami for Taylor's funeral.

That Thursday, with virtually no preparation time, the Redskins faced the Bears.

And the turnaround began. Make no mistake, the players still grieve greatly — especially running back Clinton Portis, one Taylor's closest friends on the team.

And reminders are present every day. Taylor's two locker stalls, at Redskins Park and the team's stadium, have been sealed by Plexiglass and his name remains on both.

Taylor also was one of three Redskins named to this season's Pro Bowl.

Even so.. .

"I think as an organization, as a team, let Sean rest in peace," Portis says. "… Constantly people talking about it and asking questions about it, it gets old. Let the man rest in peace. We're not trying to forget it — we can't forget it. But at the same time, that is not our main focus (and) that is not what we want to talk about every day."

Enjoying the moment

For now, the focus is on Collins, whose holiday season has been especially gratifying. He and his wife, Andrea, welcomed their second child Dec. 14. Gibbs allowed him to be there, and two days later his first NFL start in a decade became a win on the road against the New York Giants.

And because the Redskins' next game against Minnesota was Dec. 23, the schedule allowed him to go home to Massachusetts to visit his family and his wife's family for a couple of days, including Christmas Eve and Christmas.

"Which I haven't done in probably 10 years," he says. "So that was really special — especially what happened with the success we've had the last couple of weeks.

"Everyone is just so excited for me to have an opportunity and the way it's turned out so far."

Probably no one is more excited than Collins himself. He's a free agent after the season, so his future with the Redskins is murky.

For now, though, he's one victory from leading a team into the postseason.

"I'm just enjoying this week to week," Collins says. "I don't know how long it's going to last (but) I'm just going to savor the moment."

Link

Veni Vidi Vinci that's what TC has done, I wish him all the very best and all the way to the SB.

Hail

[ttr77]

So, Collins was drafted by the Bills to be the future QB after Kelly retired. He started 13 games, faltered, and was replaced by his backup. The next offseason the team went another direction and he was done there.

"I wasn't there very long and maybe could have gotten more of a chance, but that's the same situation a lot of younger players in this league sometimes find themselves in." - Todd Collins

"He was young and they threw him in there — that's my opinion. They threw him in there and said, 'You are going to take Jim Kelly's place.' He wasn't quite ready yet." - Wade Phillips

Sounds a lot like the current 'franchise' QB's story. I wonder if history will repeat itself.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

So, Collins was drafted by the Bills to be the future QB after Kelly retired. He started 13 games, faltered, and was replaced by his backup. The next offseason the team went another direction and he was done there.

"I wasn't there very long and maybe could have gotten more of a chance, but that's the same situation a lot of younger players in this league sometimes find themselves in." - Todd Collins

"He was young and they threw him in there — that's my opinion. They threw him in there and said, 'You are going to take Jim Kelly's place.' He wasn't quite ready yet." - Wade Phillips

Sounds a lot like the current 'franchise' QB's story. I wonder if history will repeat itself.

I don't know the current franchise QB you are referring to...Campbell?

It's nothing like Campbell.

Campbell was picked to replace a stopgap in Brunell. Collins was picked to replace a hall of famer.

Campbell has been - at worst - decent. Collins was awful in Buffalo.

Campbell got hurt; Collins got pulled.

Collins benching did ultimately lead to the Doug Flutie Era in Buffalo, which was just delightful on a 100 different levels.

[ttr77]

I don't know the current franchise QB you are referring to...Campbell?

It's nothing like Campbell.

Campbell was picked to replace a stopgap in Brunell. Collins was picked to replace a hall of famer.

Who they are replacing is irrelevant. They were both tagged as the 'future'.

Campbell has been - at worst - decent. Collins was awful in Buffalo.

Admittedly I don't know much about his career in Buffalo. But as a team' date=' they were going through some major rebuilding after losing their HOF QB and soon-to-be HOF RB. His rating that season was 69.5. Campbells is 77.6. Not a huge difference there.

Campbell got hurt; Collins got pulled.

Not sure what difference this makes. If Campbell doesn't win the starting job outright (as he should be required to) he might not make it back on the field, regardless of how he originally lost the position.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Who they are replacing is irrelevant. They were both tagged as the 'future'.

Admittedly I don't know much about his career in Buffalo. But as a team, they were going through some major rebuilding after losing their HOF QB and soon-to-be HOF RB. His rating that season was 69.5. Campbells is 77.6. Not a huge difference there.

Not sure what difference this makes. If Campbell doesn't win the starting job outright (as he should be required to) he might not make it back on the field, regardless of how he originally lost the position.

Campbell is not going to lose his job to a 50-year-old Todd Collins next year.

What Collins is doing right now is nothing short of miraculous. And he should remain the starter until he loses a game. But to think he is anything more than a short-term solution is being wildly over-excited by a small sample size.

[ttr77]

Campbell is not going to lose his job to a 50-year-old Todd Collins next year.

What Collins is doing right now is nothing short of miraculous. And he should remain the starter until he loses a game. But to think he is anything more than a short-term solution is being wildly over-excited by a small sample size.

I never said he was the long term answer. He is certainly better now though. I value wins more than potential.

If the Bills had a message board in '97, I wonder if someone would say something along the lines of "No way Flutie is the long term answer. Collins will never lose his job to him."

My, how wrong they would have been. Good thing there were no real message boards back then.

[ZkinsFan]

no qb prob here, it is what it is

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I never said he was the long term answer. He is certainly better now though. I value wins more than potential.

If the Bills had a message board in '97, I wonder if someone would say something along the lines of "No way Flutie is the long term answer. Collins will never lose his job to him."

My, how wrong they would have been. Good thing there were no real message boards back then.

Flutie actually beat out Rob Johnson. Neither Johnson nor Flutie was in the picture in '97. Collins was sent packing after '97 and was not in Buffalo in '98.

If you had predicted a Flutie-Collins quarterback controversy in 1997, you would have been both weirdly psychic and completely wrong.

[ttr77]

Flutie actually beat out Rob Johnson. Neither Johnson nor Flutie was in the picture in '97. Collins was sent packing after '97 and was not in Buffalo in '98.

If you had predicted a Flutie-Collins quarterback controversy in 1997' date=' you would have been both weirdly psychic and completely wrong.[/quote']

Well, you obviously know more about Buffalo in '97 than I do.

All I was stating is that there is precedent for younger, supposed 'franchise' QBs to be beaten out by older, supposedly washed-up ones. Someone on the Redskins current roster can attest to it.

[SearchHorizon]

Damn, that is some impressive patience, dedication, and resolve ... especially considering his youth ...

I don't know if Collins had something better to do, but you'd still have got to give him props, for keeping his skills sharp and keeping up with the defenses, etc. I cannot imagine it would have been easy for Collins to practice day in and day out studying for 10 years, hoping that you will be a starter one day.

Human tendencies being what they are, after a while, it is easy to say "hell with studying all these schemes, I will never get to start ... I will just cash my check ..."

[SearchHorizon]

But to think he is anything more than a short-term solution is being wildly over-excited by a small sample size.

Two things here. First of all, I agree that the 2.5 games is a small sample size.

Second, it is not clear if TC's age is as much a consideration as what people say. Given the fact that he has not been beat up, he can probably last few more years, IF he turned out to be good enough to start.

In such a case, Campbell is not indispensable, though we invested a lot in him.

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The best scenario would be that TC turns out to be the next Montana for 2-3 years, with Campbell playing intermittently to relieve Collins, while LEARNING from TC.

In such a scenario, when TC hands over the reigns to JC, he will have mastered Saunders scheme, and Skins offense will run without any glitch. In such a case, we will be set in the QB position for the next 10 years.

I am dreaming, of course.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Two things here. First of all, I agree that the 2.5 games is a small sample size.

Second, it is not clear if TC's age is as much a consideration as what people say. Given the fact that he has not been beat up, he can probably last few more years, IF he turned out to be good enough to start.

In such a case, Campbell is not indispensable, though we invested a lot in him.

---------------------

The best scenario would be that TC turns out to be the next Montana for 2-3 years, with Campbell playing intermittently to relieve Collins, while LEARNING from TC.

In such a scenario, when TC hands over the reigns to JC, he will have mastered Saunders scheme, and Skins offense will run without any glitch. In such a case, we will be set in the QB position for the next 10 years.

I am dreaming, of course.

Campbell is ending year three of his contract right now. His deal is for five years. Collins deal expires this year.

That's where the rubber starts to meet the road here.

Collins - right now - can probably get himself a fairly nice three-year deal in the off-season. If the Skins did sign him, you are pretty much committing yourself to at a minimum of one year of Collins under center. That means that Campbell would not be a starter again until Year 5 of his 5-year deal. There's a lot to consider.

[SearchHorizon]

Collins - right now - can probably get himself a fairly nice three-year deal in the off-season. If the Skins did sign him' date=' you are pretty much committing yourself to at a minimum of one year of Collins under center. That means that Campbell would not be a starter again until Year 5 of his 5-year deal. There's a lot to consider.[/quote']

Agreed.

IMHO, all this complications may be considered by the coaches if Collins takes us very far. I think Collins will have to carry us to the Super Bowl for our QB situation to get complicated. Otherwise, JC will probalby start the next year.