CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ At one point this season, Carolina Panthers defensive end Brian Burns looked like a serious contender for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
But Burns has fallen off the map the last few weeks for the Panthers (5-5), barely playing during Carolina's two most recent losses and making little impact on the team for the past month.
The Panthers' first-round draft choice in April, Burns played only 21% of the defensive snaps in the Panthers' losses to Green Bay and Atlanta. Of his playing time, he said after Sunday's game: "I'm a little disappointed."
Burns understands the reasoning, however. He also said he's going to "trust the process" and figure he will be back on the field more often at some point.
The Florida State product has been hit with a double whammy _ veteran edge rusher Bruce Irvin came back from an early-season hamstring injury and Burns exacerbated his own wrist injury after pounding the ground in frustration during a game in late September. Over the past four games, Burns hasn't been effective when he has played, only registering one tackle.
"It's just all about a rhythm," Burns said after Sunday's 29-3 loss to Atlanta. "It's hard to get into a rhythm playing like a snap here, a snap there. I mean it's just about getting into your groove, because you've got to set up your rush. You can't just come in one third down and, two series later, come in another third down."
Burns had at least a half-sack in five of Carolina's first six games _ two of them after the wrist injury _ and that came after an outstanding preseason. He started his first four NFL games because of Irvin's hamstring injury and posted 4.5 sacks in Carolina's first six games, as well as a 56-yard fumble return for a score. That sack total still ranks second on the team to Mario Addison, but Burns' last sack came a month ago.
"Once you have a start like I did ... " Burns said, and then paused. "But that was because Bruce (Irvin) was out. I already knew my place. I just knew because he was out, I had to step up. But once you get that many snaps and you kind of get cut to where you are now, it's a little disappointing. But I'm just going to trust the process. Keep pushing. Keep pounding."
