FSU Alums: Brian Burns has huge game in Panthers shutout win

Former FSU standout pass rusher Brian Burns continues to shine in the NFL.

Carolina Panther defensive end Brian Burns is making a name for himself as one of the best young pass rushers in the NFL.

The Panthers had lost five consecutive games going into Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. They were without their starting quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater, so the defense needed to step their game up for a chance to end the losing streak.

Burns helped lead the Panthers to a 20-0 shutout victory over the Lions for their first shoutout since the 2015 season.

Burns finished the game with five tackles, and two sacks with one pass defended that was almost a pick-six on a crucial third-down stop. One of the sacks is below:

Brian Burns has already surpassed his total tackle numbers from his rookie season. Burns has 41 total tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss and six sacks through 11 games. He has also forced three fumbles and defended three passes.

The only category where he hasn’t already surpassed last season’s totals is in sacks(7.5). He needs just two sacks with five games remaining to achieve that.

Burns has been on fire in the last five games, with 21 of his tackles and four of his sacks coming in that stretch. Although he was a first-round draft pick, some people had questions about if he could be more than a pass-rusher in the NFL.

I think he’s proven that in less than two seasons in Carolina and could be a staple on that defense for years to come. Their record isn’t impressive, but four of their seven losses have been by a touchdown or less.

The Panthers improved their record to 4-7 and will take on the best running back in the NFL next week, former FSU great Dalvin Cook.