Burress eager to face Raiders' man-to-man

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Plaxico Burress said he hadn't heard Rex Ryan's explanation for keeping Mark Sanchez in Sunday's blowout of the Jaguars, a decision that sparked a mini-controversy because Sanchez banged his throwing arm on a defender's helmet in garbage time.

The second-guessers have been questioning whether it was smart to leave the quarterback in the game during the fourth quarter with the Jets leading 29-3, all because Ryan wanted to get Burress the ball. Burress finished with zero receptions and was targeted only twice.

Burress seemed appreciative of Ryan's failed quest, which he said he learned about Wednesday. Unfortunately, Sanchez is getting treatment on his elbow as he prepares for the Jets' cross-country jaunt to Oakland.

"It's one of the reasons why I came here," Burress said. "I know what kind of guy he is, I know what type of coach he is and person. He supports his players 100 percent. He stands behind them and he wants to see his players succeed, and he wants what's best for them. I wouldn't expect anything less from him."

Burress is hopeful for more opportunities Sunday. For the Raiders, it's just play man to man, baby. That's the scheme Oakland typically utilizes and the Bills took advantage of it last week, spreading out the Silver and Black with multiple wide receiver sets.

"When you look at them, that's their bread and butter," Ryan said. "When you think Oakland Raiders, you're thinking about Willie Brown out there, you're thinking about Mike Haynes and Lester Hayes and all those guys. It's a man-cover team with that safety deep in the post. That's who the Oakland Raiders have been throughout the years.

"I expect more opportunities on the outside this week."

That's fine with Burress, who's looking forward to testing that man-to-man scheme.

"If you are a wide receiver," he said, "these are the kinds of games that you love to play in: up close and personal, man to man, mano a mano -- see who's the better guy. I've played in these games before. They're fun, they're competitive."

Burress hasn't been on the field for every snap, and not only because he's still working himself back into the mix after missing the past two seasons. He's not included in all the packages, including some with multiple tight ends, and he said he's trying to get used to it.

"It's a different role because I've always been a guy that's been on the field all the time," Burress said. "I just take it as I'm just not in a certain package . . . I just try to perfect whatever that they have for me when I'm in the game."

That includes being a $3.017 million decoy, as he was against the Jaguars. He can take solace in knowing it's going to open up things for Santonio Holmes, Derrick Mason and Dustin Keller.

"We scored 30 points on offense," Burress said. "Tone scored, Dee Mase had a catch, and I didn't have any catches and teams were playing me like I had been playing for the past two years lights out, and I've been out of the game.

"It's not the first time it's happened -- that I lined up as the 'X' receiver [split end] and you get doubled. That's the reason why you bring a guy like me as the 'X' position here. Teams are going to play you differently.

"I don't think teams are going to line up a whole game and just say, 'Go check 17 and go check No. 10' and we're going to beat you. It's not going to happen."