Q: How has Derrick Burgess been coming along?
BB: Derrick has done a good job for us all year. He really has. He's been productive both in the passing game and in the running game. I think overall his run play has been good. He's a very consistent player. There are some players that rush the passer and they kind of rush the passer on every play and that's great on the passes, but then sometimes that can hurt you in the running game. Derrick really plays consistently on everything and he's done an excellent job in the running game for us - probably as good as we've had as a run player and a pass rusher. When they run the ball, he does a good job. When they throw the ball, he's competitive on the pass rush. I think sometimes guys lean a little more towards one than the other, but I'd say overall his play has been consistent on a down-after-down basis at a position that everybody kind of focuses on the passing part of it. But he's been in there on a lot of running plays and he's done a good job on the draws, the screens, the sub runs. He's made a number of plays for us on that. I think he's had - right from the beginning, going all the way back to the Buffalo game - he's had a good, solid year.
Q: Is it fair to say you got what you wanted out of him?
BB: He's definitely what we needed as an edge player. He's given us that. He's done a good job for us. It's different than Tully [Banta-Cain], but both Tully and Derrick have given us very good play on the perimeter of the defense.
Q: As an older player, at any point earlier in the year, did you think about limiting his snaps?
BB: I think we felt that he could play every down because he's done that throughout his career and he did it last year in Oakland. As you know, in games this year, there were some games where he has played almost every down, like last week, like the first Buffalo game. And then there were other games that his plays were less than that. And of course, then that flips for other players. Other players play more while ... You can only have 11 in there at a time. I think he can do it. I think it just comes down to game planning, matchups and sometimes how the game unfolds. But I think he's definitely capable of doing that. I don't know if would really consider him an older player. He's no rookie, I'm not saying that, but I think this guy has got some football left.
I've been one to say let's hope he's being kept around for something, but he's a ghost.
