Collins Suffered Broken Ankle Before Rams’ Winning Score

Mark Collins, the New York Giant cornerback who was beaten on the Rams’ winning touchdown play in the NFC playoff game Jan. 7, suffered a broken ankle less than a minute before Flipper Anderson caught Jim Everett’s 30-yard pass for the 19-13 overtime victory.

“It was on the second play of overtime,” Collins said Wednesday from New Jersey. “I made a tackle of Pete Holohan on the sideline and he rolled my ankle. I tried to get out of the game, but the coaches didn’t see me. I tried to signal that I was injured, but to no avail.

“I talked to our trainer, Ronnie Barnes, after the game, and he said he saw me signaling to get out of the game, but he couldn’t do anything about it. Even some of the players said they saw me.”

Collins said he did not know why Barnes could not get the attention of Coach Bill Parcells, who said he did not know about the injury until after the game.

Collins, who will wear a cast for six weeks, said he was unaware of the severity of the injury right after the game and played it down in talking with reporters.

“There was no excuse,” he said. “It was a good play and a good catch by Flipper, end of story.”

Football Coach Gene Murphy of Cal State Fullerton, whom Collins played for from 1982-85, said he spoke with Collins about the injury last week.

“Mark would never use his injury as an excuse, so he didn’t tell anybody,” Murphy said. “He’s a class guy and he’s not about to say anything that would detract from Flipper’s catch.”