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Ends' game: Minnesota Vikings' Ray Edwards believes he has shot at single-season sack record; fellow defensive end Brian Robison disagrees - TwinCities.com

What began as a throwaway line on draft day suddenly is getting national attention, but Ray Edwards isn't backing off.

Starting alongside three Pro Bowl defensive linemen, the Vikings' third-year defensive end believes he has a shot at breaking the NFL single-season sack record of 22 1/2 set by the New York Giants' Michael Strahan in 2001.

Brian Robison begs to differ.

"I don't see how Ray's going to be able to break the NFL sack record if I'm going to be doing it every time he does it," the second-year pro said Tuesday. "If he thinks he can outrush me, then (more) power to him. But I don't think it'll happen."

The friendly competition could bring out the best in Edwards and Robison, who are expected to play prominent pass-rushing roles for the Vikings this season, especially after the team traded former first-round pick Erasmus James to the Washington Redskins on Tuesday.

That solidified Robison's role as the No. 2 right end behind last season's NFL sack leader Jared Allen and removed a potential threat to Edwards, who already was set as the starting left end.

With former starter Kenechi Udeze on the reserve/non-football illness list and out for the season while being treated for leukemia, the Vikings will look to their young defensive ends to pick up whatever sacks Allen and the Pro Bowl tackle tandem of Kevin and Pat Williams don't get.

That star-studded lineup is the No. 1 reason Edwards feels no need to retract his record prediction, which he repeated last week in a TV interview that was picked up by the national Web site profootballtalk.com.
It's big talk for a player who had eight sacks in his first two seasons, but Edwards said he isn't concerned about attracting attention from opposing teams.

"They ain't worried about me," he said. "I'm just the other guy on the defensive line. I've got three Pro Bowlers on the same line so I'm just the other guy right now, trying to make a name for myself."