The Giants’ defense in Week 4 entered their second straight game without arguably the unit’s top player: defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Wink Martindale’s group saw the effects of missing a player like that in a loss to Dallas the week prior and needed someone like Dexter Lawrence to step up.
After all, New York allowed Cowboys running backs Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott to combine for 178 yards on 28 carries (6.4 yards per carry).
With Williams out again vs. the Bears on Sunday, Big Blue needed superb defensive line play in both the run-stopping and pass-rushing departments, given the absence of Williams’ sheer versatility.