I'm 51, so while he was on the TV I am too young to remember John Mendenhall. The first Giants NT I remember was Jerome Salley in the early Parcells' era. In my memory I can't recall an interior DL on the Giants better than Dexter was this season.
Here are some names to consider: Leonard Williams, Damon "Snacks" Harrison, Linval Joseph, Chris Canty, Fred Robbins, Keith Hamilton, Erik Howard, and Jim Burt. If you want, throw in some 3-4 ends like Leonard Marshall and George Martin.
What'cha got BBI?
I'm hard pressed to think of a guy who played this well, and I am trying because I hate "recency bias". Marshall was really good, but as stated above it was a slightly different position. Plus he played in from of LT which really helped him out. Dex is playing in front of a new guy from off the street every week
Dex plays a different game than any of them. I don't remember the Giants ever having a nose tackle who was such a threat to collapse the pocket. They have had great up-the-middle pass rush before but usually by the DT eating blockers and a linebacker or stunt come in behind them. Dex just manhandles guys, no stunt necessary.
He's kind of a unicorn in my view.
I'd put his 2000 season above Dex's, but that's me. As pointed out he finished 4th in DPOY. He was really unstoppable that year
Dexy has a big fat well rounded spider chart, up there with anybody. It was kind of a too smart for your own good move to put him on the edge but makes some sort of sense I guess.
Not as much sense as lining up directly in front of a QB and 700+ lbs barelling a center straight towards the QB's lap.
Odd - he was 4th in the AP's POY voting but only in their 2nd team All Pro.
Hamilton was the best DL in my lifetime as a fan and he's not nearly as dominant as Dex. Not really even close.
Which brings me back to Judge. Why the hell did they play him at DE lol? WTF?
OK, now you're being silly. Relax, eat a sandwich, drink a glass of milk, do some fucking thing, but don't compare anyone to LT.
I had a celebrity encounter with the late, great Dennis Farina. He was enjoying brunch in the sidewalk cafe section of Nice Matin when I passed by on Amsterdam Avenue. I stopped briefly and said, "Sir, I really enjoy your work. Thank you." He gave me an indifferent little nod and a slight smirk that said, "You better move along or I'm gonna stab you through the heart with a fuckin' pencil. Do you understand me?"
I loved that guy.
It is possible....that if you could switch them in terms of era played and defensive scheme that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Tore up his knee in his second year.
He was a monster.
Leonard Marshall was really good, so was Mendenhall but Sexy Dexy is on a unbelievable roll.
He is living up to his pre draft ceiling of total domination.
Go Giants!
Dex is destroying centers and guards and double teams. He is equally devastating against the run or pass.
He is the best and the position move is a huge reason why.
It remains one of life's great mysteries that not one, but two Giants coaching staffs (with two different DCs) insisted on playing Dex somewhere other than NT.
It's not just Judge (and Graham). Shurmur (and Bettcher) did the same thing.
It makes no sense, and it never did.
The Giants traded for Leonard Williams during Dex's rookie year.
You're just making shit up, as usual.
Odd - he was 4th in the AP's POY voting but only in their 2nd team All Pro.
Completely agree.
he's tossed guys around all game like wilfork (and very few others) used to.
But he really wasn’t an interior DT. If Dexter keeps this up he will wearing a gold jacket. He was the best DT In the NFL this year. Period. And there should be no reason he won’t keep it up. So year. Best ever. He wasn’t bad his first two years. Just utterly misused.
Also Erik Howard was very good ashen he replaced Burt.