C-LeB28
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Associated Press-Although the Giants struggled in defense of their NFC crown and finished 7-9, Strahan was virtually unstoppable. After failing to get a sack in the first two games, he resorted to more of a power rush, and quarterbacks began dropping. The nine-year veteran from Texas Southern punctuated his huge season with 3 1/2 sacks against Philadelphia in the nest-to-last game. His record-breaking sack came with controversy, when Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre appeared to hand it to Strahan, a longtime friend. Favre denied taking a dive, and others said Strahan's record should not be diminished. "No sack is a gimme in the NFL," said Mark Gastineau, who set the old record in 1984 with the New York Jets. "Any time you can break an NFL record it's awesome," Giants tackle Lomas Brown said. "He worked hard all year. He deserved it." Strahan, a first-time winner of the award, felt his biggest improvement in 2001 was not physical. "I think the biggest difference between my game and getting the sacks as
opposed to not getting them was that mentally, I was a little more positive about getting them," he said. "I think it's such a mental game that when you visualize yourself making a play, you have to finish that play in your head. . . . "The one thing I learned this year is never assume the quarterback has thrown the ball. I don't care how many times he pump fakes. You keep
going at him until you are sure he's thrown. That's added a few sacks onto my numbers." Strahan received 27 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who cover the NFL. Urlacher, also an All-Pro, got 20. Last season's choice, Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, got two votes, and Cleveland linebacker
Jamir Miller received the other. Lawrence Taylor in 1981, '82 and '86, is the only other Giant to win the honor.
opposed to not getting them was that mentally, I was a little more positive about getting them," he said. "I think it's such a mental game that when you visualize yourself making a play, you have to finish that play in your head. . . . "The one thing I learned this year is never assume the quarterback has thrown the ball. I don't care how many times he pump fakes. You keep
going at him until you are sure he's thrown. That's added a few sacks onto my numbers." Strahan received 27 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who cover the NFL. Urlacher, also an All-Pro, got 20. Last season's choice, Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, got two votes, and Cleveland linebacker
Jamir Miller received the other. Lawrence Taylor in 1981, '82 and '86, is the only other Giant to win the honor.