Giants' pass rush played to its star potential against Chargers; what will they do for an encore?
Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux sacks Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert during game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sep. 28. Credit: Ed Murray
Late Wednesday afternoon, the Giants posted a graphic on X for a movie poster starring their four pass rushers and teased it with the caption “Next Big Hit.”
The fake movie title? “Rush Hour 4.” A nod to the buddy-cop trilogy starring Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. A reminder that teams have to deal with defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and linebackers Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns and Abdul Carter.
The Giants added “the year’s action-packed hit” at the bottom of the graphic, but Thibodeaux had a better line when asked last Sunday if teams can stop the defensive front when it plays that well.
“Buckle up,” Thibodeaux said. “That’s all I can tell you.”
Last Sunday’s win over the Chargers was the first and best indication of what the quartet can do. The foursome totaled 20 pressures, according to NextGen Stats, and 12 quarterback hits on Justin Herbert.
At times, Carter and Burns lined up on the edge with Lawrence and Thibodeaux inside. After struggling to get all three linebackers on the field together in the first game, the Giants often played that trio and Lawrence together last Sunday, and they took turns wreaking havoc.
Thibodeaux had a sack in the first quarter. Burns’ third-down sack in the fourth quarter forced the Chargers to punt and allowed the Giants to almost run out the clock on their final drive.
Little of it surprised the group. They were confident they could affect a game at some point.
“We already know what we’re capable of, so us going out there and doing that, that’s what we’re supposed to do,” Carter said. “That’s our standard, so we know that.”
With Malik Nabers sidelined and the offense struggling to score points, the Giants might need to rely on them more, but it’s a challenge the defensive front is ready for.
It helps that Lawrence might be finding his form after working his way back from a dislocated elbow last November. He had his first career interception last Sunday and it set up a field goal.
Lawrence may not have a sack yet, but his presence allowed Burns, Carter and Thibodeaux to win their one-on-one matchups and dominate a hobbled Chargers offensive line.
“I credit a lot of our success — me, Abdul, KT — also to Dex,” Burns said. “Just from him being a leader, from him showing us and crafting us in certain aspects of our rushing and also the attention that he demands. I just want to free him up.”
With starting guard Cesar Ruiz out, the Saints will have an even bigger challenge trying to stop Lawrence.
One month into the season, Lawrence has given his teammates chances to get in the backfield.
Burns has a sack in every game and is the NFL’s co-leader with five. Thibodeaux has eight quarterback hits, including 2.5 sacks.
Carter has been versatile wherever he’s used on the field. He’s lined up at defensive tackle, inside linebacker and edge rusher, and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen praised him on Thursday for being disruptive against the Chargers.
Part of it is the Giants keeping their three linebackers fresh by rotating them more in and out of plays. But when all three are on the field with Lawrence, last Sunday showed what they can do.
“All three of those guys are unselfish,” Bowen said of the linebackers. “They’re putting the team first. They’re doing what’s asked of them. They’re not batting an eye. They’re trying to do everything the right way.”
Still, things could be better. Thibodeaux wasn’t satisfied after the win because there’s another level this group can reach.
“This is not what I envisioned yet,” he said. “Abdul ain’t got his sack yet. Burns, he got his but he’s still got another notch. I got another notch . . . Dex just showing up to the party. This is something that I’m excited for.”
If that happens? The quartet could go from a coming attraction to a marquee draw every week, trying to affect the game one rush at a time.
Notes & quotes: Lawrence (illness) and Tyrone Tracy Jr. (shoulder) each missed his second consecutive practice. Safety Tyler Nubin (groin) returned after sitting out Wednesday but was a limited participant.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
