Bills left tackle Jason Peters won't get a break while trying to return to full game shape Sunday. Peters will line up opposite Raiders end Derrick Burgess, who hopes to keep up his recent run as one of the league's premier pass rushers.
Burgess' career had a resurgence after joining the Raiders in 2005 as a free agent from the Philadelphia Eagles. He set the NFL record for most multiple sack games (six) by a veteran player in his first year with a new team. Burgess also led the league in sacks that year with 16 and followed up with totals of 11 and eight the last two seasons.
The Raiders' defensive leader prides himself on having a well-rounded game, but it is no secret around the league that Burgess gains many of his sacks with his quickness off the ball.
"Speed is a huge part of his game,' Bills head coach Dick Jauron said. "Speed is a huge asset. Once you have the threat of speed and you show it to an offensive lineman it set up other parts of your game."
Peters describes Burgess' technique as an up-the-field style that tries to lure opponents off balance with a series of juke moves. Like Jauron, he said it is Burgess' speed which sets up these moves.
"He's a smaller guy so he's got to get you off balance," Peters said.
Tackle Langston Walker can relate. He played with Burgess in 2005 and 2006 in Oakland. Walker said that once Burgess' speed grabs the attention of his opponents, he is quick to unleash a more physical style of play.
"He'll show you speed and lull you to sleep with that, and the very next thing you know he's giving you one step and he's inside or two steps to get you going then he comes with the bull rush," Walker said.
Walker called Burgess a smart player that wastes minimal energy on his moves. He said Burgess gets most of his sacks on his own but is also helped by the occasional stunt with the defensive tackle.
Describing his and Peters' technique against Burgess should Peters get winded and need a break during the course of the game, Walker said Burgess gives both he and Peters "a lot of different things to think about".
But he added that any success they might have against Burgess would come from trusting their technique and the ability of quarterback Trent Edwards to get the ball out in time.
"You can't overset him," Walker said. "You can't give him that inside because he'll take it. Watch your outside hand, leaning with your outside hand, because he'll attack that too."
But Peters only had one goal in mind when talking about Burgess' skill against his own stamina.
"Whatever amount of plays it takes to win, that's what I'm gonna go."
