EAST RUTHERFORD -- Giants safety Landon Collins named a surprising player when asked by ESPN to identify his most challenging matchup last season: Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.

Ertz is a fine player, but he ranks a distant third in name recognition among NFC East tight ends behind Dallas' Jason Witten and Washington's Jordan Reed. But Collins singled out Ertz, who hasn't reached the Pro Bowl in his first four seasons.

"He definitely gets overlooked, but he's definitely a great tight end," Collins said. "He doesn't get the Travis Kelce, Jimmy Graham, Jason Witten recognition. He should. If you look at the stats, he's up there. Maybe just the way the Eagles are looked down upon sometimes, they're not on people's radars."

Ertz has 23 catches for 325 yards and no touchdowns in four games against the Giants since Collins entered the league in 2015. Collins told ESPN in the summer that Ertz "gets open somehow."

After watching film in preparation for their fifth meeting on Sunday, Collins believes he has figured out the key to Ertz's success.

"I think it's going to be a better matchup. Just hopefully I don't get too many push-offs from him at the top of the route," Collins said. "His break-down isn't that good in the hips, so he tends to push off and that's how he gets open most of the time. If I can get away from that and deflect those push-offs, I can get a bead on him and make some plays."

Collins asked the Giants tight ends to push off and "try to manhandle me at the line of scrimmage" this week in practice. Collins now believes he's prepared to combat Ertz's physical style.

"My technique is when he puts his hands on me, grab his wrists and pull them down and take him off balance and he has to run his route after that because his timing is off," Collins said.

The 6-foot, 218-pound Collins was aware that the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Ertz used his strength to create separation in previous matchups. But it wasn't until this week that Collins identified a counter-strategy.

"I realized it, but I just had to figure out how to beat it," Collins said. "That's the biggest thing: Trying to figure out how to beat it. Once I worked out with my tight ends and had them push off and use his leverage to my advantage and just knocking his hands down and putting my hands on him, I think I've got a little leverage on him."

Collins is eager to put his new technique into action on Sunday.

"He's made plays against us," Collins said. "It's going to be a game-changer this time."

Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.