After Juston Burris endured a tough outing in Oakland, Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers told the second-year cornerback to shake it off.
"I just talked to him out there on the practice field to say keep your head up and keep working," Rodgers told reporters today. "This is the NFL. People get beat every day. They're going to get beat this Sunday, so just keep your head up and keep playing. He's a young player, we like what he's doing and he just has to keep competing."
The Jets like what they've seen from Burris, the team's 2016 fourth-round pick out of NC State. Through two week of the regular season, the 6'0", 212-pounder has lined up opposite Morris Claiborne in sub packages when Buster Skrine shifts inside to the nickel.
After recording an interception in Week 1 against the Bills, Burris was beat for a pair of touchdowns in Week 2 by Raiders WR Michael Crabtree.
"He played against a great receiver, but he just has to play better technique at the line," head coach Todd Bowles told the media Wednesday. "When he gets to thinking too much, he loses focus of what he's doing, but he'll be fine."
This week, Burris and the rest of the Jets secondary face another explosive receiving corps. The Dolphins have three wide receivers who complement each other well in Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills. Coincidentally, Burris recorded his first career start and interception against the Dolphins in Week 15 at MetLife Stadium last year.
Burris could see a lot of action on the outside against the latter pair, who are deep threats whereas Landry predominantly utilizes the underneath routes. After tying for seventh in the NFL in receptions last season, Landry reeled in 13 catches (15 targets) for 78 yards last week in Miami's 19-17 win over the Chargers. Parker and Stills registered 31- and 29- yard catches, respectively, along with 85 and 37 yards.
"The thing is, he's getting a lot of targets," defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said of Landry. "When you look at the way they spread out everybody, you have to stop their running back [Jay Ajayi]. People are spreading out and then they run the ball. Then, when they come in, Landry is running all these option routes. He's getting open, he's the chain mover. If you sit on him, then Stills or Parker are going vertical."
