Ahead of their Week 10 matchup against the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers’ defensive end Brian Burns has spoken out about the New York Giants’ run defense. In an interview with Heavy Sports, Burns expressed his thoughts on the Giants’ struggles against the run and how the Panthers plan to exploit it.
Burns, who leads the Panthers’ defense with four sacks and two forced fumbles, is no stranger to facing tough opponents. But when it comes to the Giants’ run defense, he believes they have a weakness that the Panthers can take advantage of.
“We’ve been studying their run defense and we see some areas that we can definitely exploit,” Burns said. “They have some talented players on their defensive line, but we feel confident that we can create some opportunities for our offense to make some big plays.”
The Giants’ run defense has been a major issue for the team this season. They currently rank 25th in the league, allowing an average of 125.4 rushing yards per game. This weakness has been highlighted in recent weeks, with the Giants giving up over 100 rushing yards in each of their last four games.
For Burns and the Panthers, this presents a prime opportunity to establish their run game and control the pace of the game. With running back Christian McCaffrey back in the lineup, the Panthers have one of the most dynamic running backs in the league. And Burns believes that McCaffrey will play a crucial role in exploiting the Giants’ run defense.
“Christian is a special player, and we all know what he’s capable of,” Burns said. “He’s going to be a key factor in our game plan against the Giants. We’re going to use him to our advantage and make sure we take advantage of their weaknesses on defense.”
But it’s not just McCaffrey that Burns believes will have a big impact on the game. He also highlighted the Panthers’ defensive line, which has been a dominant force this season. Alongside Burns, players like Derrick Brown, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Morgan Fox have been wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. And Burns is confident that they will continue to do so against the Giants.
“We have a great group of guys on our defensive line, and we’re all working together to make plays and get after the quarterback,” Burns said. “We know that if we can shut down the Giants’ run game, we can force them to be one-dimensional and make it easier for our defense to make plays.”
As the Panthers prepare to face the Giants, Burns and the rest of the team are focused on executing their game plan and coming away with a win. But Burns also acknowledged the challenge that the Giants’ offense presents, with players like Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones leading the charge.
“We can’t underestimate the Giants’ offense, they have some weapons that can make big plays,” Burns said. “But we’re confident in our abilities and we’re going to do everything we can to shut them down and come out with a win.”
The Panthers are currently sitting at second place in the NFC South with a 4-5 record, and a win against the Giants would bring them closer to a playoff spot. And with a strong defense and explosive offense, Burns and the Panthers are determined to make a statement against the struggling Giants.
“We’re a hungry team and we’re not satisfied with where we are right now,” Burns said. “We’re going to go out there and give it our all, and I have no doubt that we’ll come out on top.”
As the Panthers and Giants prepare to face off in Week 10, all eyes will be on the battle between the Giants’ run defense and the Panthers’ dynamic offense. And with Burns leading the charge on defense, the Panthers are ready to exploit the Giants’ weaknesses and secure a crucial victory.
