Archived Thread

Better NT Jim Burt or Erik Howard?

NYBEN1963 : 7/10/2020 2:12 pm

Jim Burt was the more popular of the 2 and both had some really memorable plays in the teams history but I have to say I think Howard may have been the better overall player. What do you guys think? I ask this as I am watching Giants v Washington week 14 1986.

Howard

US1 Giants : 7/10/2020 2:20 pm : link

gets my vote.

you know where i stand

Burt64 : 7/10/2020 2:29 pm : link

however i have an affinity for Jim Burt as he was my little league baseball coach growing up and his son and i were in the same grade.

Burt....

BillKo : 7/10/2020 2:32 pm : link

.....loved that #64 jersey...lol. Really good player. Got the most out of his ability. I believe he was undrafted.

Howard was a very good player too.

Pretty awesome both were on the same depth chart......

I always recall Howard pumping his arms in the air after the sack of Elway in the endzone.

VERY tough choice!

Grey Pilgrim : 7/10/2020 2:53 pm : link

That was one hell of a second round draft in 1986!

Mark Collins
Eric Howard
Pepper Johnson

:amazing:

only 2nd rd that didnt pan out in 86 was lasker

Payasdaddy : 7/10/2020 3:02 pm : link

Still wish we couldve kept zimmerman though
and grabbed reggie white in supplemental :)

Burt...

Torrag : 7/10/2020 3:05 pm : link

and it wasn't that close although Howard was an above average player.

Nice topic

Spider43 : 7/10/2020 3:09 pm : link

My vote goes to Burt.

Eric

M.S. : 7/10/2020 3:49 pm : link

Howard.

How about you call this a tie and defer to the best Giant NT ...

Spider56 : 7/10/2020 4:19 pm : link

#64, John Mendenhall, Mendenhall #64.

Howard

mattnyg05 : 7/10/2020 6:13 pm : link

Was better

as a pure NT

Allen in CNJ : 7/10/2020 6:55 pm : link

Jim Burt was slightly better than Erik Howard. Erik was a different player and was able to play in the gaps and even played DE in the 3-4 on rare occasions. But as a pure NG/NT, I'd give the slight nod to Jim Burt.

And don't forget...

Allen in CNJ : 7/10/2020 6:56 pm : link

it was Erik Howard's head that jarred the ball loose from Roger Craig in the 1990 NFC Title game that got us the ball back to kick the GWFG.

Yeah, I'm a John Mendenhall

section125 : 7/10/2020 7:04 pm : link

fan too.

I think Howard was the more talented player, but had lots of injuries. So I will go with Burt.

Howard

Greg from LI : 7/10/2020 9:50 pm : link

Burt - and by a margin IMO

PatersonPlank : 7/10/2020 9:56 pm : link

still take Mendenhall over both though

Howard

Optimus-NY : 7/11/2020 6:33 am : link

Burt was more well known

mattnyg05 : 7/11/2020 6:37 am : link

bigger celebrity due to Super Bowl XXI and the ‘86 team. Very good player. Howard, when healthy, was better.

Burt brought an inspiring attitude

Bubba : 7/11/2020 6:54 am : link

and energy to the team but I feel Howard was a slightly better player.

Burt.

Big Blue '56 : 7/11/2020 7:15 am : link

At least he saw the field a lot

Burt or Howard

stretch234 : 7/11/2020 7:54 am : link

Funny how people view the injuries

Burt missed 35 games in 8 years as a Giant

Howard missed 22 games in 9 years as a Giant

Burt got the notoriety, Howard was a better player

RE: Burt or Howard

Big Blue '56 : 7/11/2020 8:04 am : link

In comment 14931721 stretch234 said:

Quote:

Funny how people view the injuries

Burt missed 35 games in 8 years as a Giant

Howard missed 22 games in 9 years as a Giant

Burt got the notoriety, Howard was a better player

Seemed like Howard missed more games. Didn’t Burt have back surgery? Even if correct and there’s no reason to doubt your facts, I felt Burt was a better player and his play seemed to motivate all who played alongside him. Oh and I liked Howard a lot.

That said, I always felt that Howard

Big Blue '56 : 7/11/2020 8:05 am : link

was clearly the better athlete, fwiw

Howard was a better interior pass rusher

barens : 7/11/2020 10:16 am : link

than Burt, and both were excellent at clogging up the middle against the run.

My vote goes to Howard.

Howard

PaulN : 7/11/2020 10:30 am : link

Burt was a fan favorite, but was a huge asshole to Howard, Howard was bigger, much stronger, and quicker, its not that close.

Howard

PaulN : 7/11/2020 10:38 am : link

Was first team all pro one season, and was not the more popular player, which is why most people vote for him, Howard was one of the strongest players in the game, was much more stout against the run and was a better pass rusher, but the vote goes to Burt.

Howard was better in my view

djm : 7/11/2020 4:10 pm : link

Burt more a big play guy from the NT spot. Howard was the more consistent plugger. Both were valuable.

Howard had more of a rep for injuries despite Burt missing more games

Greg from LI : 7/12/2020 4:38 pm : link

....because Howard was frequently playing at less than 100% when his back was acting up. Great when he was healthy though.

Tie for me

arniefez : 7/12/2020 5:23 pm : link

both had huge moments in the biggest games against the 49ers. Both tied up the inside OL to let the LBs and DEs do their work. A very tough thankless unheralded job.

Of Mendenhall, Burt and Howard,

Gene Filipski : 7/12/2020 8:55 pm : link

Mendenhall was the smallest at 255 lbs. and was never named All-Pro or to the Pro Bowl.

Burt and Howard each named to 1 Pro Bowl and each won two SBs.

Howard was very strong, benching 225 lbs 33 times.

Howard had 33 sacks and 1 safety while Burt had 20 sacks and 10 fumble recoveries.

Pretty even IMO between Howard and Burt but my vote (51%) goes to Howard because he had more sacks than Burt.

I would say Howard.

Matt M. : 7/13/2020 12:57 am : link

He was bigger, stronger, and more athletic. That said, Burt made the absolute most of what he had. Both were stout against the run and Burt made some big plays, but the edge for me goes to Howard for being a better and more consistent pass rusher from the NT spot.

Howard was better than Burt...

x meadowlander : 7/13/2020 2:44 pm : link

...not by much. Burt generally was better at getting pass rush penetration, Howard consistently drew double teams, was extremely stout against the run.

Giants were blessed with fantastic interior D Linemen for a generation. Mendenhall, Archer, Bill Neill, Burt, Howard, Keith Hamilton was fantastic as well.

Here's your litmus test...

BillKo : 7/13/2020 3:13 pm : link

....who would have more guts to pour a bucket of Gatorade on Bill Parcells???? :)