Safety Landon Collins has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November:
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The accolades keep coming for Landon Collins.
The Giants' second-year safety today was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November. That's in addition to the back-to-back Player of the Week awards he received earlier in the season.
In four November games, all Giants victories, Collins had 30 tackles (23 solo), including a sack, and three interceptions.
In a 28-23 triumph against Philadelphia on Nov. 6, Collins led the Giants with 12 tackles (six solo) and recorded his third interception in two games when he picked off a Carson Wentz pass intended for Nelson Agholor on the second play of the game. Collins also sacked Wentz for a 12-yard loss on the final play of the first half. He was the first Giants player with an interception and a sack in the same game since defensive end Kerry Wynn did it at St. Louis on Dec. 21, 2014, and the first defensive back to do it since safety Antrel Rolle on Oct. 27, 2013, at Philadelphia. After that game, Collins led the Giants in tackles (69), sacks (3.0) and interceptions (3), and at the time was the only NFL player to lead his team in all three categories in this season.
Collins' outstanding performance against the Eagles earned him his second consecutive NFC Defensive Player of the Week Award. He was the first Giants player to win player of the week awards in successive games, the first defensive player to win player of the week awards in consecutive games since Chicago cornerback Charles Tillman in 2012, and the first safety since Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu in 2010. He had previously been honored after intercepting two passes, including one he returned 44 yards for a touchdown, and contributing eight solo tackles in the Giants' victory against the Rams in London.
On Monday night, Nov. 14, Collins had five solo tackles and an interception vs. Cincinnati. In a victory against Chicago on Nov. 20, Collins had six solo tackles and an interception. It was the fourth consecutive game in which he had an interception, tying the longest streak by a Giants player since 1970 (Spider Lockhart in 1970, Terry Jackson in 1978, and Phillippi Sparks in 1995). Collins ended the month with seven tackles (six solo) in the Giants' 27-13 victory last week in Cleveland. His 87 tackles this season lead all NFL safeties.
Collins is the first Giants player to win an NFC Defensive Player of the Month Award since Jason Pierre-Paul in December 2011. He is the first Giants safety win to be so honored. The only other Giants defensive back to win the award was cornerback Jason Sehorn in December 1997.
