Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence: The King and The Jester of the Giants Defensive Line

In the game against the Bengals last night, Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence were the ones who were running the show. They brought the defense to the front of the league and up in the division for this week. It did not just show during this game but also in previous games. They have been remarkable for fans to watch. If not one breaks through the offensive line, it’s the other. It’s not just in the Bengals game either; it has happened in the many games they have played during this season, too. 

The Giants didn’t know what they got when they signed Burns during the offseason this past year. They picked him up from the Carolina Panthers. Since then, he has done significantly during playtime. He was quiet during the first few weeks he played with the Giants. Since then, partnering with Kayvon Thibodeaux, he has taken off. Burns is the one that many fans see on Television, jumping in the air and trying to make the stops. He has been cutting through teams' offensive lines. In the last two games, he has managed to take down Geno Smith and Joe Burrow. 

With the Giants so far this season, he has played in all six games with multiple tackles. Burns has recorded 23 tackles, 15 solo, and eight assists. That is only with the Giants. For the Giants, Burns has been deemed “Spider-Man” because of the way he moves. He’s the quickest one on the defensive and has the agility the Giants are looking for. 

The other side of the Defensive line consists of Lawrence. He has been on the defensive line even before Burns came along. He has taken down nearly all the running backs and wide receivers when they get in his path. Lawrence had a great play during the Bengals game. He broke his way through the offensive line and pounced on Burrow. His stats are unbelievable, too. He has played in 86 games. He has 285 tackles combined, 160 solo, and 125 assists. Over the last several years, he has had 28 tackles in total. 

These two combined have built the defensive end side into what it is today. The expectations for them are much higher than anyone else's on the defensive line.  Despite having Thibodeaux, these two make up pretty much the whole defensive line. They are the ones that make things happen and usually surprise everyone. They are the defensive line.