When the Giants’ defense was at its recent best – its championship best – it always had a rotation of defensive ends to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Whether it was Michael Strahan or Osi Umenyiora or Justin Tuck or Mathias Kiwanuka or Jason Pierre-Paul, the team had wave after wave to send charging into the pocket. Even backups such as Dave Tollefson found their niche on the roster by being able to spell the stars, give them a breather the offensive linemen didn’t get and then allow the refreshed starters to finish the game.
It was one of the biggest reasons why the Giants beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was heralded for it.