A stubborn defensive effort is the best thing the New York Giants can take from losing 14-9 to the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence helped his unit hold a Buffalo offense that had topped 300 total yards in every other game this season to 297 on the night.
Defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale using Lawrence in a new way was a big part of the Giants’ success. He was a “disruptive presence inside” while playing an expanded role that had him “lined up over the center more,” according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
Although Lawrence didn’t make much of an entry onto the stat sheet, No. 97 was a constant menace for Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen. It helped the dominant defensive tackle had the beating of Buffalo center Mitch Morse.
Lawrence was already putting together an impressive season on an otherwise struggling defense. Yet, what he did at Orchard Park could form the blueprint for one of the Giants’ breakout stars of 2022 to be even more effective.
Different Role Helped Dexter Lawrence Dominate
It wasn’t often that Lawrence aligned head up over Morse. He wasn’t playing a 0-technique, but the 25-year-old operated in more of a shaded, 1-technique.
That meant Lawrence was usually on the shoulder of Morse, tilted to cover all of the gap between the center and the guard either side of him. Being able to pivot and attack in both directions helped Lawrence attract and split double- and sometimes even triple-teams.
Lawrence put all of those things into practice on this 3rd-and-8 highlighted by Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View.
The #Giants drop 8 on third-and-long…Dexter Lawrence got pressure through three blockers to flush Allen toward Thibodeaux and McKinney
Simply by speeding up Allen’s decision-making process, Lawrence wrecked this play. His consistent pressure was part of the reason Martindale called “only 7 blitzes on 32 Josh Allen dropbacks,” per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Trusting three- and four-man rushes only works if one member of the line is winning in the trenches. Lawrence won no matter how much help the Bills tried to give Morse.
Playing on the outside shoulder of the center also let Lawrence shift away from the pivotman to target other blockers. It worked against this double team when Lawrence slanted through the left side of the Bills’ line, highlighted by Dan Schneier of “Big Blue Banter.”
You’ve probably seen the cut up of Dexter Lawrence beating a triple team, so here’s one of him splitting a double team with ease.
Boxscore stats be damnned, Lawrence has been every bit as dominant on tape — offenses are using multiple OL more often to try and stop him.
#Giants
Keeping Lawrence over the ball, or close to it, gives the Giants more ways to disrupt offenses.
Giants Creating More Versatile Role for Dexter Lawrence
Getting to the quarterback is the key part of Lawrence’s game. He’s yet to register a sack this term, but last season’s breakout Pro Bowler has still been making contact with QBs, according to PFF NY Giants.
5 of the 13 QB hits the Giants defense has generated this season have come from Dexter Lawrence 😤
Rushing against centers isn’t a familiar route to the passer, but sometimes travelling in a straight line is the fastest way to go from A to B. Lawrence can do that when he’s head to head with a center. It’s a one-on-one matchup for the Giants’ most talented player up front.
Having him tilt across two gaps also gives Martindale’s defense more freedom to use stunts and twists along the line. Those things can encourage one of the most aggressive play-callers in the NFL to dial back the blitz.
Being more selective with his blitz calls allows Martindale to use designer pressures as a secret weapon more likely to catch offenses by surprise. Challenging quarterbacks with blitz looks helps up front, but it also protects a secondary still needing help this season.
It all starts with Lawrence. Mixing up how they unleash him against blocking schemes can give the Giants and their improving defense a different edge each week.
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Giants’ Dexter Lawrence ‘Disruptive’ in Expanded Role vs. Bills