Since Week 6, when the New York Giants defeated the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in primetime, Big Blue has had it rough, falling to 2-8 in Week 10 in a brutal 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears.
Yes, the G-Men are without their star wide receiver Malik Nabers, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Week 4, and rookie running back Cam Skattebo, who went down with a dislocated ankle in Week 8. That hasn’t stopped rookie quarterback sensation Jaxson Dart, who continues to impress and became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for a touchdown in five straight games — he has seven this year.
New York has now dropped four straight games, dating back to Week 7 when it blew a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter and the defense allowed the Denver Broncos to score 33 fourth-quarter points. There are no more excuses for Shane Bowen’s unit. However, amid all the struggles, one player has stood out the most this season.
Brian Burns’ NSFW quote shows why he’s the heartbeat of the Giants' defense
The player who’s impressed the most on defense has been veteran outside linebacker Brian Burns, who has not only led the team with an NFL-leading 11.0 sacks but has also stepped up as one of the team’s captains and vocal leaders.
Despite going without a sack in Week 5 against the Saints or this past Sunday against Chicago, Spider-Man Burns continues to lead both the Giants and the league, making his case for this year’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
While he’s been dominant on the field for a struggling defense, it was Burns’ postgame comments after New York’s loss to the Bears that gave Giants fans even more of a reason to believe in what he brings to this team.
After the game, the 27-year-old was asked about the team being broken, and he replied with this objectively awesome NSFW comment:
"This s--t can't be broken if I'm on it. If I can help it, this s--t ain't finna be broke. We're going to stick together. We're going to come back and fight."Brian Burns
He’s making it clear: As long as he’s here, the G-Men won’t be broken. He’s going to do everything he can to keep the locker room from falling apart.
If that doesn’t scream leadership after yet another disappointing season, I don’t know what does. This year has had its highs and lows, but through it all, Burns continues to make us believe in what the future holds.
Who knows what this team will look like moving forward, with head coach Brian Daboll already gone, general manager Joe Schoen still on the hot seat, and no guarantee he will survive the offseason either. But as long as this city and its fans have their Spider-Man, New York will be safe, and things will eventually look up for the G-Men.