Here’s some extra motivation for the NY Giants leading up to Sunday’s NFC Wild Card matchup with the Minnesota Vikings. Several times throughout the year, this team has been disrespected in the national media. More of the same was the case on Friday for left tackle Andrew Thomas and defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence.
The Associated Press released its All-Pro teams, and for an inexcusable reason, both Thomas and Lawrence were left off the First Team. Instead, Thomas and Sexy Dexy has to settle for Second Team honors. While they won’t be too upset about this, as they’re more focused on beating Minnesota, we have no issues saying this is total garbage.
Per @RobMaaddi, here is the AP All-Pro first- and second-teams: pic.twitter.com/fcLSuyLOHc
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 13, 2023
NY Giants’ Andrew Thomas and Dexter Lawrence named to AP All Pro Second-Team
A lot of Giants fans are furious on social media and we don’t blame them. Throughout the year, Thomas has looked like the best left tackle in the game. He’s also done so with a poor unit around him. No disrespect to Trent Williams – a sensational player – but Thomas was more than deserving of the First Team nod.
Meanwhile on defense, an East Rutherford standout made the defensive line cut for First Team, but it was Jets’ stud Quinnen Williams and not Lawrence. Williams has been fantastic this year, posting his 12 sacks, but Lawrence felt like the clear selection in this case. Pro Football Focus had him as a First-Teamer and he was also on the Players’ All-Pro First Team, yet the AP went in a different direction.
Lawrence, a cool 6-4, 340 pounds, was an absolute unit for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale in 2022. He finished the regular season with 68 total tackes, 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. There’s going to be more head-turning action from Lawrence this weekend against Minnesota too, no doubt.
While the Second Team isn’t some sort of a participation award, we would have loved to have seen at least one of Thomas or Lawrence on the First Team. In our minds, though, they were both deserving of it. This is another example of people sleeping on the G-Men. Enough is enough.
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