Giants' Dexter Lawrence laying down the law on defense
New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) enters the stadium before the New York Giants versus the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023 Credit: Ed Murray
Wink Martindale’s first NFL coaching job was with the Raiders in 2004. He’s seen a lifetime of football.
But what Dexter Lawrence is doing lately has the Giants' defensive coordinator in awe.
“He’s unbelievable,” Martindale said. “A man that big shouldn't be that athletic. We can all say that when you watch him. He’s playing at a high level, he's very confident in what he can do.”
At 6-4 and 340 pounds, Lawrence’s combination of size and athleticism is ridiculous. His recent dominance seems otherworldly.
In the last two games, Lawrence has three sacks and nine quarterback hits. This, after recording no sacks and five quarterback hits in the first six weeks.
Lawrence is ranked as the top interior lineman by Pro Football Focus' standards. The next four: the Eagles' Jalen Carter, the Rams’ Aaron Donald, the Jets’ Quinnen Williams and the Cowboys' Osa Odighizuwa.
“Dex, he’s a freak,” Martindale said. “He’s a freak of nature.”
On Sunday, Lawrence will play his first game since Leonard Williams was traded to Seattle.
“I see it as an opportunity to grow individually and as a better leader,” Lawrence said. “Each week I want to dominate, and that’s what I’m going to do. That’s my goal, to dominate. I like pressure. And I’m going to be me.”
Cornerback Darnay Holmes doesn’t expect Lawrence’s impact to change without Williams.
“I’ve been here with Dex for four years,” Holmes said. “Going into last year, I saw the transition that he made. I was very excited for him, happy for him. To see a guy who has been an impact player, and he’s turned that into being an actual game-wrecker.
"Having the two of them together made it more of a wreck, but we have other guys, too. That’s why we have a 53-man roster and not a two-man show.”
Pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux said he is inspired by Lawrence.
“Dex has been playing great and he’s going to continue to play great,” Thibodeaux said. “I want to continue to match him so that we can be a great front and a great defense.”
Teammates further describe Lawrence as a leader by example and someone who almost defies gravity.
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard, the longest-tenured current Giant, said: "He always amazes me. I see him come off the ball as well as anybody in the league and he weighs dang near 400 pounds. You just don’t see that every day.”
Lawrence has developed the reputation as a generous and engaging teammate.
“He’s the guy you want in the locker room,” linebacker Micah McFadden said. “He’s really funny. When he walks in the room, everybody knows. And obviously, when he’s on the field, you know he’s out there. He’s a guy you definitely want on your team, not just because he’s a great player but because he’s enjoyable to be around and everybody loves him.”
McFadden said he has one specific tell when a play is made around him.
“If I’m blitzing or even in coverage and I notice that the quarterback had less than a second to get the ball off, I’m assuming that was Dexter,” McFadden said. “Or if I’m not on the field, sometimes I just want to watch him. And he’s a good guy, a selfless guy.”
Linebacker Bobby Okereke said Lawrence makes his job easier.
“Dexter’s savage,” Okereke said. “[Opponents] have to account for him at all times. They need two, maybe three guys to block him.
"And if they’re worried about blocking him at the line of scrimmage, they’re not worried about blocking me. I get to fly around untouched, and even though he’s blocked, half the time he makes the tackle anyway.”
Lawrence has made great strides this season working with defensive line coach Andre Patterson, who has coached for about 40 years. Among his achievements, Patterson coached Hall of Famer John Randle and heavily influenced the career of former Giant Linval Joseph when both were in Minnesota.
Patterson told Newsday that in the last two games, he and Lawrence drew up plays on the sideline. On both occasions, Lawrence got a sack.
Isaiah Simmons, who has played safety and inside linebacker since coming over in a trade from Arizona, was a teammate of Lawrence’s at Clemson.
“I told Dexter that nobody in this league can block you and that he makes our jobs easier,” Simmons said. “Dexter’s always dominated everybody. Right now? He’s on a whole other level.”
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
