When New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale spoke with the press after practice on Thursday, he had nothing but praise for his players. His opening statement summed up what we’ve all seen over the last few weeks.
“We were fired up, obviously, with the win last week. I thought our guys played really well. You’ve got the same guys stepping up, and others are joining them now,” he said.
Others are joining them now. Like Kayvon Thibodeaux, who continues to impress and improve on the field. When asked why he thought Thibs’ play is resulting in the production of big plays, Wink was impressed with the question.
“I think that’s a great question. We’ve talked about it before, and I’ve thought about it even more. I said that the guy has no ceiling,” Martindale stated. “You remember me saying that before? The reason why he doesn’t have a ceiling is because he doesn’t allow himself to have a ceiling. He’s in here working every day.”
Martindale also said that Thibodeaux is a leader on the team, even at the young age of 23. And with mentors like Dexter Lawrence, he’s only going to get better at his job.
Speaking of Lawrence, he’s one that’s been stepping up all season. Recently, he’s had his snap count limited, but it hasn’t lessened his impact on the field. When asked if he was surprised, Wink answered, “Nothing surprises me with Dex.”
Lawrence hasn’t been playing at 100 percent due to a hamstring injury. He isn’t a player to stay off the field, though, and that definitely sends a message to and lifts up his team.
“Sure, it does. I mean, if you and Dex were walking into someplace, wouldn’t you feel a lot more confident walking in with him than without him? That’s just who he is,” Martindale said.
Hard to disagree with that.
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