Lovie Smith Acknowledges More Offensive Involvement For Texans WR Nico Collins
HOUSTON — Coach Lovie Smith has raved about second-year prospect Nico Collins since training camp in August. Collins' on-field attributes as a receiver enamored Smith, but he became a standout due to his 6-foot-4 stature.
Smith said Collins' height made him a match-up nightmare for the opposing team. And during the Houston Texans' Week 5 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Smith's vision came to fruition.
With 8:26 left in the fourth quarter, second-year quarterback Davis Mills connected with Collins for a 22-yard gain.
Collins' reception only resulted in the Texans finishing the drive with a touchdown by rookie running back Dameon Pierce 10 plays later. But the catch over Jaguars' defensive back Tyson Campbell embodied the match-up problems Collins presents with his stature.
Campbell, who was also flagged for defensive pass interference, had no chance at stopping Collins due to his 6-foot-1 build.
"Nico Collins is a big target," Smith said. "He can catch the ball. He can jump. Starting from the L.A. [Rams] preseason game, we’ve gotten a chance to see that. He’s a tough matchup against defensive backs."
When examining improvements to make during the bye week, Smith said his goal for the second half of the season is to get Collins more involved within the Texans' offense.
After recording a team-best 65 yards on four catches amid the Texans' 13-6 victory at TIAA Bank Field, Collins is currently leading the team for most receiving yards with 272.
"When you’ve had the opportunity to go through five games, you kind of see and everybody is showing you who they are, and you have to go with it," Smith said. "Some [players], you really like what you are seeing, and maybe others you don’t like as much. Some need to get more reps. Some need to get fewer reps. That’s how we’re looking at it."
Collins' play through the first five games became more impressive, considering he has just 27 targets. Veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who has 32 fewer reception yards than Collins, leads the team with 42 targets during the first quarter of the season.
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