2 weeks Ago
The perception of a revenge game is often mythologized by football fans thrusting a narrative onto the players they are rooting for. Does Saquon Barkley deserve the chance to trample a New York Giants team that let him go in free agency? Perhaps. Will Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Sterling Shepard have a chip on his shoulder when he faces New York in Week 12? Probably not.
So when edge rusher Brian Burns got asked about his feelings on the Carolina Panthers and if it added anything extra to Sunday’s affair, it’s no surprise he downplayed the situation. © John Jones-Imagn Images On Wednesday, he spoke about his tenure in Carolina and what it means to play the Panthers in Week 10. “No, like I said, business is business,” Burns said .
“Business happened. I'm happy where I am. I'm blessed.
” Of course, he won’t be traveling to Carolina for a coronation from fans that once rooted for him. Sunday’s game will be played in Munich as part of the NFL’s international series. While the edge rusher would’ve preferred a chance to return home for a week, a game against one’s former team is as much about the people he’ll get to see as much as the players he’ll get to face.
“There are a ton of people that I didn't get to talk to before I left,” Burns said. “Over five years, you build that bond with a lot of people in a lot of different ways. I do have a special connection with some people from the equipment staff, training staff and some of the lunch people.
I've just got connections all over that building. So, I can't wait to see them.” Despite the change in scenery, the view from New York isn’t too different from the cellar of the NFL South.
Both teams are 2-7, having stumbled through quarterback conversations and inconsistencies on both sides of the ball. While the Panthers lack starpower, though, Burns is providing it for the Giants. Since being acquired for a second- and fifth-round pick and signing an extension, Burns has generated five sacks and helped amplify defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence’s impact.
He’d instantly be the best player on a Carolina team that moved on this offseason. Burns made it clear that he did not request a trade from the team that drafted him 16th overall in 2019 – one selection before Lawrence. “No, I respect those people in that building, that organization,” Burns said.
“Like I said, I'm blessed. There isn't really too much to speak on. I'm happy where I am now and I'm just trying to make this team win.
” Revenge game or not, Burns has an opportunity to leave his mark on Week 10’s festivities. The Panthers offensive line has struggled and the quarterback play between Bryce Young and Andy Dalton has been comparable (at best) to New York’s struggles. Perhaps more than any game left on the schedule, the opportunity for Burns to make a splash play will be prevalent.
Related: Giants Favored for First Time in 25 Weeks As he hopes to lead his new team through early-season adversity, every play counts. No longer is he the rising star taking the mantle of the face of a unit. He’s arrived, paid like it, and expected to contribute on and off the field.
From taking down quarterbacks to playing through obvious injuries, he’s done just that. He’ll get a chance to prove that on Sunday morning. “Coming from a place you were drafted; you work to become that guy and that leader of that defense to coming into a situation that has that guy or has other leaders already established.
It's a different role and a different avenue you have to take to prove yourself. I feel like I did that, and I was able to adapt.”.
