I don't remember LT being a dominant force after 1990 but can't remember if it was his age or just a terrible team that was responsible for his drop-off in production. Was he dominant right up until his ruptured achilles or had he started to become more pedestrian prior to that?
He still could flash at will but it didn't seem he had that non stop motor that made him LT.
...by the 1990/91 Super Bowl Season!
Agreed. My memory, for perspective, is he was still a serious presence - opposing teams scheming to try and block him. But he never again single handeldy dominated games after 90 IIRC
In comment 14342468 debo_GIANTS said:
This
This is spot on.
I will always wonder what caused the slow down - the physical toll his play took on his body or his excessive drug and alcohol use.
In the last few plays, LT was rushing against Richmond Webb and pulled his hamstring. He took a lot of heat at the time because he had incentives in his contracts for sacks and the Giants should have sat him and he was trying to earn extra money after his hold out. It took him a long time to recover from that hamstring pull and he played through it, but didn't play well.
By 1991, he really wasn't focused and he hurt his knee against Tampa Bay. He had lost a step. In 1992, he was actually talking about retiring mid season, had a big game against the Redskins in DC to help beat them on a Sunday Night and the next week he tore his achillies against the Packers.
To echo everyone else and sum it up, his last dominant season was 1989, and he started out 1990 the right way, until he pulled his hamstring and really didn't come around again until the Detroit game in Week 10 when he got a couple of sacks vs. old friend Lomas Brown.
He actually broke a bone in his ankle on that dirty block vs. the Niners on the Monday Night game in 1989. Dirty Wesley Walls and cut blocking Niners.
OBJ is mentioned as a generational talent. When it comes to football talent and performance he’s not in the same area code IMO.
He had 3 sacks in the 93 opener in Chicago including the game clincher.
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After he suffered that nasty high ankle in late 89 he started to decline a bit although he showed flashes till he blew out his Achilles in 92. He was good in 90 but teams really started to figure him out and doubled and tripled him - also in 90 with Carl banks being hurt and not 100% they really relied on their secondary to make plays a la the super bowl and championship game that year. I think the scheme did him in in 91 and he played well in 92 till he had the Achilles. In 93 he was still a formidable pass rusher but again Mike Nolan’s scheme didn’t really fit HIM as a player.
He actually broke a bone in his ankle on that dirty block vs. the Niners on the Monday Night game in 1989. Dirty Wesley Walls and cut blocking Niners.
Their dirty ass OL Coach Bob McKittrick.
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After he suffered that nasty high ankle in late 89 he started to decline a bit although he showed flashes till he blew out his Achilles in 92. He was good in 90 but teams really started to figure him out and doubled and tripled him - also in 90 with Carl banks being hurt and not 100% they really relied on their secondary to make plays a la the super bowl and championship game that year. I think the scheme did him in in 91 and he played well in 92 till he had the Achilles. In 93 he was still a formidable pass rusher but again Mike Nolan’s scheme didn’t really fit HIM as a player.
He actually broke a bone in his ankle on that dirty block vs. the Niners on the Monday Night game in 1989. Dirty Wesley Walls and cut blocking Niners.
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In comment 14342460 Allen in CNJ said:
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After he suffered that nasty high ankle in late 89 he started to decline a bit although he showed flashes till he blew out his Achilles in 92. He was good in 90 but teams really started to figure him out and doubled and tripled him - also in 90 with Carl banks being hurt and not 100% they really relied on their secondary to make plays a la the super bowl and championship game that year. I think the scheme did him in in 91 and he played well in 92 till he had the Achilles. In 93 he was still a formidable pass rusher but again Mike Nolan’s scheme didn’t really fit HIM as a player.
He actually broke a bone in his ankle on that dirty block vs. the Niners on the Monday Night game in 1989. Dirty Wesley Walls and cut blocking Niners.
I was at that game and the scumbag 49,er fans cheered when was hurt.. fuck them
Yet, he played 10 days later....