Rookies aim to make QB Brady feel much older
defense have improved since Burns and Davis joined the starting lineup. It already included rookie nose tackle Javon Hargrave, their thirdround pick who won his starting job in training camp.
Helping to beat Brady and the Patriots is an order of larger magnitude, especially for rookies playing in their first AFC championship, one step from a Super Bowl.
“If we had any rookies on the field, they’ve always tried to find them,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler said of the Patriots. “I’m sure this time will be no different.”
The difference this time is that three rookies will start against New England. It is the first time three rookies have won regular jobs and started more than half the games since 1971 when Jack Ham, Dwight White and Mike Wagner won starting jobs.
This also will be the first time Burns and Davis will start against the Patriots.
Burns played in the nickel against New England Oct. 23 at Heinz Field, one game before he took over as a starting cornerback from veteran Willie Gay.
Davis started two games as a slot cornerback when they opened in the nickel defense earlier but did not replace Robert Golden as the starting strong safety until Nov. 20 in Cleveland, when their nine-game win streak started.
All three rookies have contributed to their renewed vigor on defense, although as veteran safety Mike Mitchell said the other day, “To be totally honest with you guys, there are still things that they do that are very much rookie-like in games.”
A facemask penalty charged against Davis helped the winning drive in the closing seconds of Dallas’ 35-30 win Nov. 13. He has since made some key stops on third downs, intercepted a Eli Manning pass to help them beat the New York Giants and batted away the two-point conversion attempt by Kansas City that preserved the Steelers’ twopoint playoff win last Sunday.
Burns took a bad angle on Mike Wallace, who turned a short pass into a 95-yard touchdown in Baltimore’s 21-14 victory Nov. 6. A month later, he came up with his third interception of the season — tied for the team lead with Ryan Shazier — to help beat Buffalo. Despite starting just nine regular-season games, his 13 pass breakups were second on the team, one behind cornerback Ross Cockrell.
Mitchell said they have minimized their mistakes.
“They’re doing what they need to be doing for us,” he said.
Said Davis: “I haven’t felt like a rookie in a long time. I can’t play like one now. I definitely can’t turn into a rookie now.”
Burns said there’s another advantage to having three rookies start on defense.
“We’re young guys so we’ve got to bring all the juice, all the enthusiasm, and just bring the young feeling around. We’ve got a lot of older guys on the team, but we’re still here, the young guys, to keep them feeling young.”
Their job Sunday is to make Tom Brady feel old.