These Dynamic Duos Can Help The Giants Soar in 2020
Most teams are lucky to have one pair of players who can present an unstoppable challenge when they combine the power of their forces.
The Giants? They just so happen to have two dynamic duos on either side of the ball, those being defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams on defense, and quarterback Daniel Jones and Darius Slayton on offense.
Williams and Lawrence are already showing signs of being a disruptive tandem.
Both first-round draft picks—Williams in 2015 and Lawrence last year—are tied with three stops apiece among the team’s defensive interior linemen and are tied for second on the team in that category behind outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter.
The two also have combined for four quarterback pressures, three by Williams, who also has a sack among them.
Head coach Joe Judge has been pleased so far with what both players have brought to the defense, especially Williams, a source of debate among those who question general manager Dave Gettleman's decision last year to trade two draft picks to the Jets to acquire Williams during the final year of his contract.
"He’s really had a good camp for us," Judge said of Williams. "He was productive the other night. This guy is playing with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He’s fun to be around and you can tell he really loves the game."
Speaking of fun to be around, Williams couldn't help but break out into a wide grin when asked about his younger teammate.
"I love that guy," he said. "He was one of the first guys I was in contact with on the team. He’s a young guy, really talented big guy and I feel like he’s open-minded and soaking up the game. I love playing with a guy like that. I don’t want to play favorites but he was one of my best friends on the team."
It also helps that Lawrence is cut from the same cloth as Williams as far as size and skillset, creating a "pick your poison" scenario for opposing offenses.
"It helps a lot obviously," Williams said. "Sometimes the offensive line can’t scheme against one person when there are multiple guys on the D-line.
"It’s not just me and it’s not just Dex; it’s all of us on the front. It’s hard to play against a defense when you can’t single out one person. If they slide to protect to one side then the other guy is open, if they slide protect to that guy then the other guys is open. I think it helps out the front a lot."
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On the offensive side of the ball, Jones and Slayton have a special bond that stems back to their being part of the same draft class, Jones as a first-round pick and Slayton as a fifth-rounder.
The two first began to build their dynamic during last year's rookie minicamp, where Slayton, after an initial rough start, suddenly started to emerge as a favorite of Jones', particularly on dee routes where Slayton's speed enables him to separate from defenders.
That chemistry continued through the summer when Slayton and Jones played pitch and catch in training camp, both with the second-team offense.
And true to form, when Jones was promoted to the starting lineup in Week 3 of last season, Slayton, who had missed the first two games with a hamstring strain, was right there to help usher in the Giants' new era at quarterback.
Not surprisingly, Slayton continued as Jones' favorite receiving target during their respective rookie seasons. The former Auburn receiver was targeted 80 times, a close third on the team behind Golden Tate (83) and Sterling Shepard (81).
And Slayton continued to reward Jones' confidence in him by recording a team-high eight touchdowns and 740 yards for a 103.1 rating, the rating being just seven-tenths away from tight End Evan Engram's team-leading 103.8 rating.
"I definitely think the fact that we literally came here together from day one, whether it was rookie minicamp or what have you, we’ve literally been catching and throwing since day one," Slayton said. "I think that familiarity is definitely there. I think it’s something that we’ll continue to build on."
After an unusual off-season in which Slayton and Jones managed to connect with some other teammates in Texas for off-season workouts, the two are off to another strong start. Slayton currently leads the Giants receiving targets with six first down conversions, 102 receiving yards, and two touchdown receptions for a 116.7 NFL rating
"Darius showed up and played a great game Monday night," Jones said. "I think he’s someone who you can really trust and rely on to be in the right spot and finds a way to get open a lot. He’s a really good football player, someone you can count on. I’ve enjoyed working with him, I’ve enjoyed playing with him so far."
Slayton, who like Saquon Barkley, received nine pass targets Monday night, wants to continue earning his opportunities.
"Definitely being open helps the quarterback be more inclined to throw the ball to you, of course," he said.
"But every play, you have options within plays for him to throw the ball to different guys. Fortunately, he just chose to come my way nine times."
Expect a lot more of that in the weeks to come.
