Brian Burns doesn’t need much convincing that Sunday night offers a chance for the Giants’ pass rush to make noise.
Dallas has already made its own uncertainty at right tackle pretty clear. The Cowboys traded for Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Broderick Jones two weeks ago and told Terence Steele he would have to compete for his job once Jones got comfortable with the playbook. That kind of move, Burns said, stands out.
“I mean, opportunity lies within the game,” Burns said. “They’re both pros. Not to disrespect anybody’s craft or anything like that, but the fact that they are so concerned in that area does, I guess, raise some form of an alert in our minds, as far as like just knowing that they’re having struggles.”
“So we can definitely see that as an opportunity to exploit,” he said.
Burns, 28, is usually lined up on the left side of the defense, which puts him across from the Cowboys’ right tackle most often. That makes this matchup especially relevant for the Giants, who will almost certainly aim their rush there.
Last season, Burns finished second in the NFL with a career-high 16.5 sacks and ranked third with 22 tackles for loss. The league even featured him as the Giants’ representative on its annual Super Bowl graphic, with Burns in his blue No. 0 jersey as the team’s face while other NFC East stars filled out the illustration.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, are still sorting out their front. Owner Jerry Jones said Friday on Dallas radio that the organization is “hopeful” Steele’s “experience will prevail,” and that he’ll be stable enough at right tackle for now.
That’s not the only issue in Dallas’ offensive line picture. The Cowboys will also be without injured left guard Tyler Smith, which means backup T.J. Bass is set to start in his place.
The Giants’ edge group should have plenty to work with regardless. Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux and rookie linebacker Arvell Reese will be attacking a line that is missing a starter and still trying to settle another spot.
Dallas also took another hit Friday. Backup running back Malik Davis was carted off the practice field with a hip injury, and he is out for Sunday’s game. The Cowboys fear it could be serious.
That leaves Javonte Williams as the lead back, with Emari Demercado on the active roster and Israel Abanikanda on the practice squad.
And if the Giants needed any reminder that this matchup still means something on the Dallas side, Jerry Jones supplied it. On 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, the Cowboys owner said he gets a “tingle” every time the Giants and Cowboys play.
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