The New York Giants are battered and frustrated. They are still seeking answers as they head into Week 10 with a disastrous 2-7 record this season. On Sunday, Nov. 9, the team is going to face the Chicago Bears. But before that, the Giants’ pass rusher, Brian Burns, has put out a blunt message.

Burns certainly didn’t mince words when asked about facing Calleb Williams.

“I look at it as an opportunity,” Burns said. “Honestly, I’m done with all that running the ball…not gonna keep looking at it as a challenge, and we gotta stop them, and all that type of, that it’s just like, at the end of the day, you’re either gonna nut up or shut up. So, I don’t really wanna say too much about the run game. I wanna keep preparing for it, and I wanna put pen to paper instead of talking about it.”

It is a statement that defines not only his competitive fire, but the tone for a Giants locker room who are going to face the Bears QB, Williams. Outside linebacker Burns leads the NFL in sacks (11) through nine weeks, a credit to the way he practices going back to the spring. Now, he is two away from setting a career high.

“I’ve been really honing in on my preparation,” Burns said. “That kind of leads to my confidence when I step on the field because I kind of already have the answers to the test, kind of know what I want to do.”

Burns’ potential will help limit the Bears’ offense, and that’s why coach Brian Daboll is happy with his player.

“It’s paying off in games,” Daboll said. “He’s been productive. He’s battling through – look, he gets chipped and banged, and he’s one of our tougher guys and also one of our most productive guys, and he’s done that really since he’s been here. But I’d say even, we talked about it, I think, at length in training camp and things like that, he’s showed up and he’s showing up in the games for us.”

Burns’ intensity only sets the tone for a Giants defense that has struggled to find its footing due to injury and inconsistency. That’s followed by renewed confidence in the Chicago Bears, with Caleb Williams already exuding the demeanor of a veteran quarterback in saying they are not going to take the Giants lightly.

“We’re 5-3,” Williams said this week. “We understand what’s in front of us and where we want to go.”

In their most recent win, against the Bengals, they once again showed both the explosiveness of their offense and the vulnerability of their defense. It reinforced the potential of Chicago’s young core and the threat Burns and the Giants’ defense must prepare for, amid a concerning situation.

Giants uncertain future

The Giants’ organizational uncertainty only deepens. It was reported by team insider Jimmy T that the front office received inquiries about star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence ahead of the trade deadline. Yet despite listening, the Giants were never close to making a deal.

“Did the Giants get calls on anyone or any offers for Dexter Lawrence?” Jimmy wrote.

To which, Albert Breer responded, “The Giants listened, but I heard early on that they weren’t planning to move Kayvon Thibodeaux, much less Dexter Lawrence.”

That uncertain future has become the defining phrase of the Giants’ season. Daboll’s fiery demeanor, once credited with charging up the locker room, has grown tense amid the mounting losses. New York’s struggles in the trenches, along with some quarterback play that has flipped a promising young roster into search of direction, are there.

If the change does come, Lawrence is expected to remain a foundational piece for any incoming regime.

“I’d also assume if there are changes, new guys coming in would see Lawrence as a massive asset, both literally and figuratively,” as per Albert Breer.

For Brian Burns, it’s a personal challenge to set the tone against one of the NFL’s rising stars in Caleb Williams. But to the organization as a whole, it’s something more sobering: a reminder that until the Giants solve their internal dysfunction, all those fiery quotes and individual brilliance aren’t going to be enough to change the narrative.