He’s supposed to be the one member of the New York Giants’ front seven opponents are afraid of, but All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II is losing the fear factor, according to franchise great Carl Banks.
The former outside linebacker who won Super Bowls as a key member of the 1986 and 1990 Giants teams called out Lawrence with a blunt reality check. Banks had watched Lawrence get manhandled during the Week 8’s 38-20 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles, with reserve center Brett Toth helping former Giant Saquon Barkley and backup running back Tank Bigsby both top 100 yards.
Speaking on Bleav in Giants, co-hosted by Bob Papa, Banks warned Lawrence “nobody respects you anymore, nobody.”
Banks continued, “They’re blocking you with a nine-year backup center, you’re not making a difference. The old Dexter would.”
While he acknowledged Lawrence could still be recovering from the dislocated elbow that ended his 2024 season prematurely, Banks also pointed out backups are performing at a higher level. Specifically, defensive linemen like 2025 NFL draft third-round pick Darius Alexander, along with veterans Roy Robertson-Harris and D.J. Davidson, “those guys are making plays against the same guys that are blocking you.”
It’s a damning indictment of the other-worldly talent expected to lead by example along a supposedly loaded front. Yet, Lawrence beginning to look like just another interior D-lineman is at the root of an ongoing problem the Giants haven’t been able to solve for three seasons.
Dexter Lawrence II Continues to Falter
Few linemen who play over the ball have been as disruptive as Lawrence in recent years, but there’s a distinct lack of explosiveness and big plays from No. 97 this season. Lawrence has just half a sack and six pressures through eight games, while the 27-year-old has also missed two tackles, according to Pro Football Reference.
The numbers tell a depressing story. One where Lawrence isn’t generating enough of a push on the pile, but it’s not as simple as saying his opponents no longer respect him.
In fact, opposing teams are putting together some elaborate schemes to keep Lawrence off balance. Highlights from NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger reveal the Eagles showed the man in the middle for the Giants different looks.
On the first play, the Eagles trapped Lawrence with left guard Landon Dickerson (69). Another play shows right guard Tyler Steen (56) out-angle Lawrence, allowing Toth to pull to the perimeter again.
The pattern is clear. Philly’s offense ran away from Lawrence, a sign teams still know how tough he can be at the point of attack.
What’s not so clear is why the Giants have consistently struggled in one key area, even when Lawrence was at his peak.
Giants Remain Fragile in Key Area
No matter how good Lawrence has been, the Giants haven’t been able to stop the run with him anchoring their defensive lines. As ESPN’s Jordan Raanan detailed, Big Blue ranked “31st in the NFL allowing 5.2 yards per carry entering Sunday. That only got worse when Barkley and the Eagles ran all over them for 277 rushing yards. Barkley averaged 10.7 yards per carry in this contest. The Eagles averaged 8.4 per carry. The run defense, for the third straight season, remains a real problem for New York. Even on second-and-26 in the fourth quarter, the Giants immediately allowed a 29-yard run. It’s hard for them to win with this deficiency.”
The problem has persisted, despite changes in personnel, coaching and scheme. Former defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale called a sophisticated package of blitzes that often treated the run as an afterthought, but his successor Shane Bowen was supposed to deploy something more traditional, heavier and fundamentally sound, but the Giants still aren’t doing the basics right.
Lawrence hasn’t impacted the run enough because he’s more of a pass-rusher than a true run-stuffer. He also hasn’t been supported by another elite presence in the trenches.
There’s no easy fix for these issues, but Lawrence is likely to remain a playmaker the Giants need.
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