Outside Linebacker Brian Burns
Q: What is unique about this game plan when you have a quarterback who can, if you're too aggressive off the end, tuck it and run around you?
BRIAN BURNS: It's tough. You got to have eyes on him. Like I said, you don't want to rush him too safe and not get any pressure and then he'll tear you up from the pocket. But you also don't want to be too reckless, and he'll tear you up with his feet. It's going to be a group effort along all our guys, the D-line and the linebackers, to keep eyes on him and to keep him contained. But for the most part, we still got to go out there and throw our moves in and win.
Q: What was your first impression of (Washington Commanders quarterback) Jayden Daniels? Like, obviously, I'm pretty sure, when you watched the tape it was probably the first time you've seen him extended.
BRIAN BURNS: Fast is the first thing I thought. And secondly, he looks confident. The way he plays, he exudes some confidence. Even after a couple bad throws I've seen him make on film, it's like he brushed it off like it never happened. So that type of confidence is what you look for in a quarterback and I think he has it at an early stage.
Q: I imagine your focus has to be to take that confidence away, right?
BRIAN BURNS: Yeah, we got to rattle him as much as possible, have bodies around him, be in his face and make it uncomfortable. At the same time, you got to keep eyes on him and try to keep him in a well because he did have almost 90 yards of scramble yards and that is demoralizing for a defense, especially if the back end's doing their job. It's demoralizing.
Q: You said something a minute ago about having a rush plan in Carolina and not getting to it much. I assume that meant because of the scores, right?
BRIAN BURNS: A lot of things, but yeah.
Q: So, my question was going to be how much of your rush plan did you not get to on Sunday because you guys were behind?
BRIAN BURNS: No, we got to our rush plan in a couple instances. I just would say that they held true to their chip looks. They always had a guy coming out the backfield and they always had a tight end or somebody in the area because they have to keep four hands on (defensive lineman) Dex (Dexter Lawrence II). So, to try to neutralize the edge and neutralize Dex (Dexter Lawrence II), they kept more people in protection than most.
Q: You've talked all summer about how impressed you were with Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) in practice. What you knew of him after Sunday and watching him in action, how did that more so become a factor for you seeing how good he was?
BRIAN BURNS: I kind of always knew. Practicing with him, I can see it. One-on-ones, I can see it. Dang near 100% on one-on-ones. I don't know. Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) is a unique player. Never seen it before.
Q: What do you think of his sack dance?
BRIAN BURNS: Oh yeah, you know I had to get in on it. Yeah, it's a clip of me doing it with him.
Q: I know…
BRIAN BURNS: Oh yeah, for sure. It's tough. I did it in Carolina, actually.
Q: You did his?
BRIAN BURNS: Yeah. I got a sack against Detroit. I think my second sack against Detroit, I hit his dance.
Q: For him or a sign a respect?
BRIAN BURNS: No, we were just goofing around in practice one time. I think the Giants media team had released some video of all his teammates trying to do it. So, me and (Carolina Panthers inside linebacker) Shaq (Thompson) was just doing it because it was funny. And we trained with Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) like two years prior to that. So, I had a relationship with him. But I don't know, we just did it one time in a game just because it was funny.
Q: So, do you expect him to kind of return the favor if you get one?
BRIAN BURNS: Oh, he already said he's going to do it. I just told him to make sure he stretches. I don't need him hurting himself doing my celebration. He got to stretch for that.
Q: You had a couple snaps where you were an off-ball linebacker. How much have you done that in the past?
BRIAN BURNS: I did it quite a bit in Carolina. This one was a little different because I was actually reading a lot of blocks and pullers and what not. I was actually an inside linebacker for a bit. But I feel like there's still plays to be made even in that position, that I can make. I feel like the more I fine-tune that, the more I detail that up, the more plays I can make in that area. I feel like there's definitely plays to be made.
Q: I was going to follow that up by saying, does that make the most of your athleticism in that role?
BRIAN BURNS: It does.
Q: Oh, it does?
BRIAN BURNS: I think it does. It's definitely ideal for me to go forward and then go after the quarterback, of course. But I made a couple plays in that position, that game, but I also missed a couple that I feel like could have been game-changing. Like I just said, for me to just detail that up and make the most out of those opportunities is what I'm focused on.
Q: You play a guy like (Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden) Daniels spying seems to be out of date these days. Is he a guy who can bring that back?
BRIAN BURNS: I feel like we put the responsibility on the D-line first. And if it's needed, if it's getting a little out of hand, then yeah, probably somebody could watch him. But I think it'll be on the D-line first for sure.
Q: Does he remind you of anybody that's played that position?
BRIAN BURNS: Maybe like a (Arizona Cardinals quarterback) Kyler Murray. I see him more in that range. He outruns a lot of guys side to side. I wouldn't really necessarily say (Baltimore Ravens quarterback) Lamar (Jackson), maybe from more of a stature standpoint, Lamar (Jackson). But as far as how he runs, it's more of Kyler (Murray). It's side to side, outrun you, run outside, out the back of the pocket, wide through the B-gap. Lamar (Jackson) is more of a one-cut downhill. He's more calculated with his runs, but he's also older. But yeah, I would probably say Kyler (Murray).
Q: Right now, what does he do best that you've seen on tape?
BRIAN BURNS: It's just been one game. Like I said, I feel like they play to his strengths. A lot of RPO, read option, get the ball out quick, screens and designated QB runs. They play to his strengths. But using his athleticism is definitely something that they're capitalizing off of.
