New England Patriots’ front seven: top performers from Week 2

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2. Jamie Collins

Fresh off a berth on the All-PFF Second-Team, Collins has been well on his way toward stardom for some time now. On Sunday, he proved that even more, racking up a not-too-shabby stat line of 11 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a few tackles for losses, a forced fumble (that the Bills recovered) and three quarterback hits in addition to those sacks.

I want to focus on one of Collins’ tackles for loss here. It was a play that Jamie, and only Jamie, could make; he blew up the middle of the Bills’ offensive line, crashing into the backfield and clipping LeSean McCoy just before the shifty runner bounced outside. The elite instincts, athleticism and finishing ability of Collins were on full display.

You’re not going to find a bigger fan of Collins than myself. I seriously think that he is the next-best candidate after J.J. Watt for Defensive Player of the Year, and that’s not wishful thinking. The honor is Watt’s to lose, but Collins is as primed to snag it away from him as any defender in the league.

Next: 1. Dont'a Hightower