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News | Washington Commanders - Commanders.com

Collins Takes Over For Campbell vs. Bears

On picking up the offense in the middle of the game:

"I am familiar with the offense. I haven't gotten any reps lately, or any game action. I do a pretty good job studying week to week so I felt pretty good to be able to pick up when my number was called."

On the possibility of taking over a team that may be playoff eligible:

"I think what we are going to do is enjoy this one for a couple of days then get our minds on New York. We're not going to get ahead of ourselves. We know we have three games left. If we can go out and carry over some of the things we did today, especially finishing the second half offensively and defensively. If you look at some of the ways we have lost our games recently I think we have a real good shot if we continue playing sixty minutes."

On if he said anything funny when he got into the game:

"I don't think I did. It was so abrupt. I just rolled in there. I wouldn't even remember if I did. I was just out there trying to get back into a rhythm."

On talking about finishing the game at halftime:

"It is pretty evident if you look at the last four weeks, and really the whole season in our losses, except for one, we just lost it in the second half. When we went out there on that last drive I think everyone on offense wanted to score six points and not put the defense in the situation where we would be standing on the sidelines and watching Chicago drive down and possibly have a chance to win again. It felt good to go down there and get a sizable lead so we could relax a little bit."

On the coaches having confidence in him:

"I think Al (Saunders- Associate Head Coach) is pretty confident in me. We have been together for a number of years. I thought he did a great job on that last drive. Bringing eight men in the box and he mixed it up on first down with a hard play action pass. The receiver did a great job out there beating one-on-one coverage and we were able to get some chunks. Running down the clock a little bit and then we started hammering a little bit with the running game."

On how long has he waited for the opportunity to be the quarterback for a team that could possibly go to the playoffs:

"A long time. I can't say how many number of years, but I know I have been preparing as a number two to get an opportunity in a game for probably literally hundreds of games. This was really the first time where I was able to go in and get to play in a situation that really matters. We want Jason (Campbell, QB, #17) to get his knee better. That is always a priority in our thoughts. We are just going to try to press on if he can't be there."

On if he thought the opportunity to be a starting quarterback would not arise again:

"You just don't know. I think that is kind of what drives me. I put in so many years preparing if something did happen to be ready. As the number of years and games pile up I don't want to let one go by that is my chance and I'm not going to be ready."

On how good it felt to finish that game offensively:

"It felt great. Everyone in the huddle on offense knew we wanted to finish. We didn't want to kick a field goal because I think that would have made it 20- 14. We wanted to get the touchdown and get it by 10 points or whatever it was, so it wouldn't come down to one of these harrowing losses at the end like what happened last week."

On how bad does the team need the next few days off:

"I think we need them a lot. We have been through a lot. We really didn't have any practice time this past week, dealing with the death of a teammate and a funeral. I think more importantly it is going to mean a lot to go into these next few days with a win instead of a loss because I think that would have been really tough to take."

On what he saw on the touchdown play to Ladell Betts (RB, #46):

"It was a critical play in the game and they chose to bring some pressure. I believe they brought the safety and Ladell did a great job of recognizing the pressure and he went right up the seam and turned his head around. I managed to get the ball into him quickly before the D-end dropped underneath him."

On if there are butterflies when he gets into a game:

"Not too bad. I think just the anticipation sometimes of going in, that is the worst. That is kind of what you are feeling the whole game when you are the number two because there is a chance that you might go in. Sometimes it doesn't happen. Once you get out on the field you just take over. You have been playing a long time and you just start to play football. It is actually more relaxing than the anticipation of if I am going to go in or not."

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