This past spring, the New York Giants picked up the fifth-year option on defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence’s rookie contract.
It was one of the wisest, and easiest, decisions first-year general manager Joe Schoen has had to make. Lawrence has become one of the game’s top interior linemen and on Sunday, manhandled the Houston Texans’ offensive line in ridiculous fashion in the Giants’ 24-16 win.
On the scoresheet, Lawrence had five total tackles with five QB hits, including a sack (two half sacks), and batted down a pass. His eight total pressures made life difficult for Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills. One pressure in particular forced Mills to throw an interception.
Lawrence’s presence was so prevalent that when the Giants’ tried to rest him a series in the first half, Houston running back Dameon Pierce scorched them for 61 yards on three carries.
Lawrence was a National Champion in college at Clemson and his first three years with the Giants left him in the uncharacteristic position of playing on a losing team.
That’s changed this season with the Giants off to a 7-2 start. He’s finally having fun in blue. Hard work has paid off.
“Football is fun,” Lawrence told reporters after the game. “I mean, losing isn’t fun, but just being here with the guys, just enjoying the fellowship that we have every day, that’s fun. The losing you just keep trying to learn from that and you keep trying to grow from that and don’t let it take the fun out of football. This year, we’re winning and it’s extra fun, you know what I mean, to have that plus.”
The 6-foot-4, 342-pound Lawrence has a career-high five sacks this season, with eight games remaining. He continues to work to become a better player, and who knows how good he can get.
“I feel like I’m a guy that always just wants to improve myself and just show my dominance wherever I am, however I am,” he said. “(Defensive line) coach (Andre Patterson) has done a good job teaching me how to play with my skills, my abilities, my length, and my strength, all those types of things. And me being willing to listen to him, that shows just my humbleness even though I feel like I have been dominating, but for him to come in and just teach me, coach me about how to be better.
“It’s just all coming to fruition right now.”
If Lawrence keeps this up, he’s not only going to the Pro Bowl, he’ll be named an All-Pro and appear on the NFL’s Top 100 Players list next season.
