The Sports Informant

It took a few weeks, but quarterback Peyton Manning finally figured out what everyone in the NCAA knew a season ago, and what the entire Sacramento area has known for years: Austin Collie is a pretty good target to throw to.

The Oak Ridge High grad and NFL rookie receiver out of BYU caught six passes for 65 yards and his first touchdown in a 34-17 win over the Seattle Seahawks Sunday. It was a coming out party for Collie, who all game long was compared to former Colt Brandon Stokely, a savvy pro now in Denver who became a star on the other end of Manning passes.

Collie started the day with a 7-yard pass in the second quarter, which opened the door later to his first career touchdown, a 21-yard diving grab with only three seconds left in the first half.

Collie had three receptions for 19 yards the first two games of the season, but his role was limited with a lineup that included Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon and at one point Anthony Gonzalez. With Gonzalez injured, though, Collie’s opportunity to play blossomed, and he made the best of it the last two weeks. Against Arizona last week, Collie caught three passes for 47 yards.

It could be a sign of much better things to come, especially if Manning keeps up his so-far impressive season as the NFL’s best quarterback.