Panthers defensive end Brian Burns is finally starting to get some national recognition for the incredible work he’s been doing during the 2020 season.
In Sunday’s 20-0 win over the Lions, Burns got the first multi-sack game of his NFL career. He also posted four quarterback hits and a tackle for a loss. For his efforts, Burns has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Given his relatively high pressure rate, Burns’ breakout game was only a matter of time. In fact, defensive coordinator Phil Snow came pretty close to predicting it last week, claiming Burns was going to have a three-sack game very soon.
Burns now has 16 QB hits and five tackles for a loss on the season, matching his totals from 2019. He’s also up to six sacks compared to 7.5 during his rookie year.
Snow deserves some of the credit for putting Burns in a position to succeed. So far, No. 53 has been on the field for 75% of his team’s defensive snaps, compared with just 43% last season.
