Lawrence Guy probably deserves more time in the limelight.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss named the New England Patriots defensive tackle the team’s “most underrated” player Tuesday morning in recognition of Guy’s contributions to a unit some argue is the single best in football.
“Big, powerful defensive tackles who don’t put up weighty sack numbers aren’t often part of the postgame conversation, especially if they prefer to be under the radar with the media, such as the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Guy does,” Reiss writes. “But a large part of the success of the Patriots’ defense, which is the backbone of this year’s team, is Guy’s unsung work at the line of scrimmage — particularly against the run. He also tallied his first career interception earlier this season on an exemplary play.”
Guy played for three teams in his first five NFL seasons before joining the Patriots in March 2017. He since has been an integral part of New England’s defense, helping the Patriots reach two Super Bowls and win one. NFL observers now count him among the premier run-stuffing defensive tackles in the sport.
While ESPN’s acclaim for Guy is fresh, the esteem in which the Worldwide Leader holds the Patriots is enduring. New England is No. 1 in ESPN’s latest weekly power rankings following its 17-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. It’s the Patriots’ second consecutive week at the top of ESPN’s pecking order.
New England will host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at Gillette Stadium in a Week 12 game. Guy will be expected to make an impact in the thick of the action … as usual.
