New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins' interception in the third quarter of Sunday's Week 9 game over the Carolina Panthers was stunning on many levels.
His anticipation, awareness and hands were all working in high gear. The result? The Patriots' third of four interceptions of Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold en route to a 24-6 victory at Bank of America Stadium.
There's one stat that elevates Collins' interception to an even more impressive realm.
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According to Next Gen Stats, the veteran linebacker caught the ball less than two-tenths of a second after it left Darnold's right hand.
Collins is in his third stint with the Patriots. They signed him as a free agent back in September following his release from the Detroit Lions.
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New England Patriots
It didn't take him long to make a seamless transition into head coach Bill Belichick's defense again.
"Of course, Jamie’s (interception) was just a tremendous play," Belichick told reporters during his video press conference Monday. "I don’t know how many athletes could make that catch, but it was a highlight play for sure. Consistency, playing on all three downs well was really big for us. Players did a great job."
The Patriots will need to give another strong defensive effort in Week 10 when they host the Cleveland Browns, who beat a good Cincinnati Bengals team 41-16 on Sunday.