And while it’s true Collins has only played in six games, all starts, he’s blanked a formidable list of pass rushers that includes Chicago’s Julius Peppers, Indianapolis’ Robert Mathis and Minnesota’s Jared Allen.
Next up is either Elvis Dumervil or Terrell Suggs. It will be Dumervil if Andre Smith’s injured ankle forces Collins to play right tackle, but more likley Collins will be back at left tackle going against Suggs, who has 10 sacks this season and 7.5 in 12 career games against the Bengals.
Either way it will be another big test for Collins, and either way he said he will be ready.
“You got to know their moves,” he said. “The great pass rushers don’t just come out of the blue with new moves. They perfect one or two moves, the great ones. They learn how you set then they do their moves on how you set. You learn them like they learn you then you will be all right.”
Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said he isn’t surprised at how good Collins has been.
“He’s done a great job. We knew he would,” Gruden said. “We’ve just been fortunate to have three excellent tackles. Unfortunately for him, he hasn’t gotten a chance to play until we switched (Andrew Whitworth) to guard. But he’s a damn good left tackle and right tackle also, and it doesn’t surprise me one bit that he’s playing very well.”
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