New York Giants’ news, 9/23: Landon Collins, takeaways, Sterling Shepard, more

Landon Collins got used to playing alongside Darian Thompson throughout the spring and most of the preseason, until Thompson suffered a shoulder injury. Since then, Collins has spent time with both Thompson and Nat Berhe at the other safety spot for the New York Giants.

Thompson will miss Sunday’s game with a foot injury, meaning Berhe will be called upon to start in his place for the second time this season when the Giants face the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

Collins no longer cares who lines up alongside him.

“Not anymore,” Collins said Thursday. “They come in and change in and out of the game. I know both of them know their calls and know what they’re doing. When we first started I was over there looking, ‘Okay Nat, I know how he plays. Okay, I’m with D.T.’ You just have to know who you’re next to, how they’re playing and what their mindset is.”

Collins, in only his second season, is the veteran of the safety group.

“It’s very different,” he said. “Just having that intelligence of what’s going on in the field. Knowing my playcalling and just knowing what’s going on. Intelligence for me is just standing in my corner and there’s DRC (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) and Jackrabbit (Janoris Jenkins). They understand where I’m coming from and they know where I’m going to be. They trust me that I’ll make the right play call.”

Casillas: Defense needs takeaways

The Giants have not had a takeaway yet this season, an odd stat considering their defense has played well and they are 2-0. Defensive captain Jonathan Casillas knows his group needs to start making those kinds of impact plays.

“That’s the number one stat when it goes into wins and losses. We’ve been able to avoid losses in the first two weeks being on the losing side of the turnover ratio. That’s something that we definitely want to do. In order for us to continue to be a really good defense, and get to that level, we have to be able to take the ball away,” Casillas said. “That's one that we need to have start showing up in these games.”

Sterling Shepard: “I knew I was ready for this”

Six of the eight receptions by Sterling Shepard Sunday against the New Orleans Saints created first downs, five of those coming on third downs.

“I love third downs. It is a chance that we have to stay on the field, so I am definitely licking my chops every time it is third down, we need something big. That is the way it has been playing out. I have been beating my guy and getting open, trying to find little gaps in the zone, that is just the way it has been working out and hopefully that continues and like I said, I love third down,” Shepard said.

Shepard has 11 receptions after two games, one behind team leader Odell Beckham.

“I knew I was ready for this. I feel like this is what I was born to do, so I am excited. I can’t wait for the rest of the season,” Shepard said.

Quinn: Mykkele Thompson loss affects special teams

The loss of safety Mykkele Thompson to a season-ending knee injury is a big blow to the Giants’ special teams, according to coordinator Tom Quinn.

“The last few years have been tough. He shows a lot of promise in the spring and in preseason. He has a really good skill set, good speed, good size. He’s smart and then we just can’t keep him on the field. He’s someone that we’ve been counting on,” Quinn said.