Osi Umenyiora Brings Glory Back to Giants Defense in Win Over Chicago

"The Giants need to get back to attacking on defense," says Lawrence Julius Taylor to ESPN in April 2010 during the 75^th NFL Draft. "Don't worry about what the offense is going to do and react to that. Attack them and make them worry about what you're going to do."

After watching the Giants brutal assault of the Chicago Bears quarterbacks in their 17-3 win at New Meadowlands Stadium, Week 3 of the 2010- 11 season, I couldn't help but reminisce about the Giants long history of linebackers.Thats why starting this off with a quote from Lawrence Taylor; was a no-brainer since he is the greatest linebacker in not just the history of the NY Giants but quite arguably the NFL.

It reminded me when the Giants D was feared. Scenes of Strahan sacking Brady in the Super Bowl along with Antonio Pierce, or LT's assault on Joe Theisman, just to name a few quickly come to mind.

Former Washington Redskins quarterback Theisman has often said, "If there was ever a Superman in the NFL, I think he wore No. 56 for the Giants." LT reinvented the outside linebacker position and had quaterbacks and offensive lines shook.

"Maybe the Giants should consider going to a 3-4," LT, the greatest linebacker of all-time, continues to say. "Put their speed guys on the outside, Osi [Umenyiora] and [Mathias] Kiwanuka, and turn them loose. That's where all your pressure on the quarterback comes from anyway."

After a dismal 1-2 start, Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell must have been paying attention to LT advice because the Gmen logged in 10 sacks against the then undefeated Chicago Bears, Sunday October 3, 2010. Nine against Jay Cutler alone, forcing the Bears to go with 38-year-old backup Todd Collins, who was also forced out late in the fourth quarter after taking a big hit.. The most sacks in Chicago history since they started recording sacks in 1963.

With his 3 sacks on Jay Cutler, in the Giants convincing win of the Chicago, Osi Umenyiora continues that long legacy of lethal linebacker in the history of the Giants. A list that includes the likes of guys like Sam Huff, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson, Brad Van Pelt, Brian Kelley, Carl Banks, Michael Strahan, Gary Reasons, Pepper Johnson, Byron Hunt, Jesse Armstead, Mike Barrow, Andy Headon, Steve DeOssie & Antonio Pierce. The greatest Gmen linebacker trio was probably LT, Carson and Reasons.

When talking about the defensive domination, let's not forget Justin Tuck who recorded 3 sacks as well and Barry Cofield (1 1/2), Chris Canty (1), Aaron Ross (1), and Jonathan Goff (1/2) also contributed to the 10 sack total. On the other side of things, Julius Peppers did sacked Manning once, forcing a fumble while linebacker Brian Urlacher who was also caused Manning to sweat a little gained control of the possiession for the Bears. This was one fo those classic hard hitting, low scoring Giants- Bears matchups of old.

When its all said and done with, will Osi go down as one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history only time will tell, but he is off to a great start. Umenyiora set a Giants record with 6.0 sacks vs. Philadelphia, surpassing the previous record set by Pepper Johnson at Tampa Bay on Nov. 24, 1991

It takes much more than one game to be considered one of the best linebackers but we are talking about someone who was the team sack leader in 4 consecutive seasons with 7.0 in 2004, 14.5 in 2005, 6.0 in 2006 and 13.0 in 2007 and again with 7.0 in 2009. He was the 1st Giant to top the team in sacks 4 years in a row since Lawrence Taylor led the team in 5 consecutive seasons from 1986-90. Michael Strahan was No. 1 in sacks each season from 1995-98, but shared the 1996 lead with Chad Bratzke. Osi's performance against the Bears alone gives him no less than an honorable mention and continues his path to be considered no less than one of the top 5 linebackers in Giants history.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/columns/story?columnist=oconnor_ian&id=5128170