GIANT NOTES
ST. LOUIS — He will be difficult to catch. With three games left, Jessie Armstead has a team-leading nine sacks, which is 2.5 sacks more than his nearest competitor, Cedric Jones, and a 3.5 ahead of Michael Strahan. The last time a linebacker led the Giants in sacks was 1992 when, you guessed it, Lawrence Taylor accomplished that feat for the fifth consecutive season.
There’s a good-natured competition going on between Armstead and the defensive linemen, who do not want to see a linebacker win the sack title. Jones went as far as to suggest that all Armstead wants to do lately is rush the passer and that he never even drops back in coverage any more. This, of course, it not true, but it makes for some laughs.
“Those guys are not going to let me lead,” Armstead said. “I don’t have the opportunity to [blitz], so they’ve got this week, next week and the week after that to pass me. I’m done with sacks. C’mon and get it, guys. I’m a team player. I’m going to hold him up for Ced and I’m going to go back there and cover that other back.”
It would be quite an achievement for Armstead to lead the Giants in sacks, as he rushes the passer infrequently and plays on a defense that also includes Strahan, who like Armstead is a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
“I just make the best out of it when I get the opportunity,” Armstead said.
Former Giants DT Ray Agnew has started every game for the Rams and has 44 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Former Giants punter Mike Horan is with the Rams, replacing injured Rick Tuten. Horan, 40, is the oldest punter in NFL history … Think John Matsko wants to win this game? Matsko, in his first year as the Rams’ offensive line coach, served in that same role with the Giants for two years before Jim Fassel fired him after last season.
The Rams have won five straight … This series has been one-sided, with the Rams leading 23-9 … A statistic for the Giants to consider: The Rams since 1995 are 12-0 when one of their running backs rushes for 100 yards. Marshall Faulk has surpassed 100 yards in four consecutive games and seven times this season … There were no signs this week during practice that the Giants — who in the past have not responded well to prosperity — were too full of themselves following two impressive victories. “We don’t have anything to be satisfied about,” S Sam Garnes said.
Fassel couldn’t contain himself in his week-long praise of the Rams. His final comment: “It’s scary to watch ’em. They continually just move the ball at will. This team plays with as much confidence and arrogance and swagger as any team I’ve seen for a while.”
Hidden in the Rams’ league-leading 430 points is nine touchdowns scored with their offense on the sideline. They have four interception returns for TDs and also scored on two kickoff returns, one punt return and one fumble return. Giants WR Ike Hilliard, on his confidence that his offense can stick with the high-scoring Rams: “We’re going to do some things this week.”