Saw very little (seven snaps) from Greg Hardy last night. A couple of fumbles (from Brandon Weeden and Lucky Whitehead). And a handful of completions into the supposed coverage of Byron Jones.
But mostly what I take away from an otherwise forgettable 17-7 Cowboys’ loss to the Chargers? La’el Collins.
He’s a man who definitely belongs amongst the ‘Boys.
The mammoth offensive lineman had a big assist on Dallas’ only touchdown of the night, making two path-clearing blocks on Gus Johnson’s 5-yard score in the second quarter. Collins first blocked his defensive lineman, then peeled off and picked up a Chargers’ linebacker to allow Johnson room to dive into the end zone.
It’s the kind of play the Cowboys envisioned when they signed him after the draft. Collins has first-round talent, but teams were scared off when last spring he was questioned in a murder case. He might not be part of Dallas’ draft, but he certainly will increase the quality of its rookie draft.
Collins played three quarters in San Diego. He is yet to push Ronald Leary for the starting job at left guard. But with nights like this, it just seems like only a matter of time before Collins powers his way into a spot on the NFL’s best offensive line.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
