Tuesday, January 23, 2001
Giants defense not offended by snubs
Fewer press clippings, same success as Ravens
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
TAMPA, Fla. — Ray Lewis. Rod Woodson. Sam Adams. Tony Siragusa.
The Baltimore Ravens' defense is loaded with star players and colorful personalities and, as a unit, has received national attention for setting a 16-game record by allowing just 165 points. It has been mentioned repeatedly with the great Chicago and Pittsburgh defenses of the 1980s and '70s.
The New York Giants, the Ravens' opponent Sunday in Super Bowl XXXV, have a pretty good defense that hasn't gotten nearly as much attention.
Not that it bothers Giants coach Jim Fassel.
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WHO ARE THESE GUYS?
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The NFC champion New York Giants have a high-ranked defense that has not received nearly as much national attention as the Baltimore Ravens'. Here's the skinny on the Giants' starting 11 on defense and their nickel back:
LE Michael Strahan: Streak of three consecutive Pro Bowl selections ended in spite of 9.5 sacks and 65 tackles.
LT Christian Peter: Started 15 games and had career-best 37 tackles.
RT Keith Hamilton: Had best season of nine-year career with team-leading 10 sacks.
RE Cedric Jones: Played with nagging injuries to record 47 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
OLB Ryan Phillips: Good against run and pass with two interceptions and three passes defensed.
MLB Michael Barrow: Off-season pickup and former Armstead teammate in college at Miami had 89 tackes and 3.5 sacks.
OLB Jessie Armstead: Made fourth straight Pro Bowl 101 tackles, five sacks and an interception but doesn't get national attention.
LCB Dave Thomas: Signed as a free agent in April, started all 16 games and had 61 tackles and one interception.
RCB Jason Sehorn: Had two more interceptions to bring his career total to 14 and made 73 tackles.
SS Sam Garnes: Former University of Cincinnati player had 63 tackles, one sack and an interception in his second NFL season.
FS Shaun Williams: Developing a reputation for his bone-crushing hits and had three interceptions.
Nickel back Emmanuel McDaniel: Only made three starts but led team with six interceptions.
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“When you're good, people write about you,” he said. “They've got a great defense.”
While the Ravens were second in the NFL in total yards allowed and first in points allowed and rushing defense, the Giants weren't too far behind.
That's the reason most anybody who knows anything about the NFL is anticipating a low-scoring Super Bowl.
New York was second to the Ravens in rush defense, 60.6 yards to 72.3 yards a game. The Giants had more sacks than Baltimore, 44 to 35, and were fifth in the league in total defense at 284 yards a game.
And while Baltimore shattered the NFL record for points allowed
by a 22-point margin, New York gave up only 246 points, or just a bit more than 15 a game. Six times in the regular season, the Giants held opponents to seven or fewer points.
And both defenses have been at their best in the postseason. New York has limited two opponents to a total of 10 points, and the Ravens have given up 16 points in three playoff victories.
But outside of cornerback Jason Sehorn, the Giants defense doesn't have any big talkers or players widely known outside of New York and New Jersey, even though linebacker Jessie Armstead and end Michael Straham have been All-Pros.
The Giants defense seems to prefer its collective ano nymity but don't begrudge the Ravens defense its due.
“They play every play like it's their last,” Strahan said. “That defense has no fear. They pretty much put it on their defense's back, and they carried them through.”
Ravens coach Brian Billick, whose team didn't score a touchdown for five consecutive games, sees similarities when he looks at the Super Bowl defenses.
“They are like us in many ways,” Billick said, “including being a team that depends a great deal on an outstanding defense.”
So while the Ravens have a defense in which two players — Lewis and Woodson — stand out above the rest, the Giants are a group whose collective strength is greater than its individual parts.
“We have 11 guys on offense and 11 on defense who know how to make plays, plain and simple,” said Strahan, who had 9.5 sacks and four fumble recoveries in the regular season. “When it's my turn to make a play, I make it. When it's Jessie's (Armstead) turn, he makes it.
“We play as a unit. We don't depend on one guy to make the play. You could give the (defensive) MVP to just about any guy.”
They play as a unit and apparently speak like a unit.
“You've got to worry about Jessie Armstead. You've got to worry about Michael. You've got to worry about Jason Sehorn,” veteran defensive tackle Keith Hamilton said. “You can't just pick one guy and say, AOK, this is who we have to stop.' We got a lot of playmakers.”
But safety Shaun Williams can't help but feel like his Giants defense is a bit overlooked and underappreciated.
“We've been slighted all year,” he said. “We just go out and play. We let the media decide and predict. The Baltimore Ravens defense is outstanding. It's one of the best to ever play. Whatever you guys say about our defense is OK. We'll just go out and play.”
The Ravens are well aware of the Giants defense.
“That's the strength of their team, no matter what happened last week,” Ravens offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden said in reference to New York's 41-0 offensive explosion in the NFC Championship Game. “They've got a big secondary. They hit you. They're fast. Both defenses are built around speedy linebackers.”
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