Dec. 28, 2025, 7:08 p.m. ET
The New York Giants defeated the Las Vegas Raiders, 34-10, in their Week 17 matchup between two teams with just two wins apiece, both positioned to compete for the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Several Giants players delivered standout performances on Sunday, with notable contributions from Abdul Carter, Wan’Dale Robinson, Bobby Okereke, and Deonte Banks.
Amid one of the unit’s strongest defensive efforts of the season, however, edge rusher Brian Burns stood out as the clear top performer and earned the Giants Wire Player of the Game honor.
Burns recorded 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hits, accounting for one-third of the Giants’ total of nine quarterback hits on the day. He nearly added another sack in the first half when quarterback Geno Smith threw the ball away just before being taken down — a play that, if ruled a sack, would have given Burns 2.5 sacks and matched his season high.
Coming off a two-sack performance in Week 16, Burns is closing the season with the same dominance he showed at the start.
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As the Giants’ most consistent and impactful defensive player throughout the year, it is little surprise that he has frequently earned Player of the Game recognition.
