Michael Strahan Game Tape: 2001 vs Rams

Highlights of New York Giants hall of fame defensive end Michael Strahan playing against the St Louis Rams in week 5 of the 2001 NFL Season. Strahan would go on to win the AP Defensive Player Of The Year in 2001.
All rights property of the NFL.

[@michaelkelly8674]

So glad to see this posted. I vividly remember watching this game. Without a doubt one of the most dominant defensive performances I've seen from a NYG defender. Thanks for posting this

[@paulf1461]

Yep i remember this game too. It was Taylor like in its effort. The Giants for some reason matched up pretty well vs the rams. I think they played them a few times during those greatest show on turf era. I remember they always gave the rams problems.

[@toddoverby5538]

But Tucker only had use of one of his hands. The other was in a cast. Can't believe nobody mentions this.

[@paulkelly8232]

This was the first of two consecutive losses by one point for the Giants. They dropped this game 15-14 then a 10-9 decision to the Eagles the following week. Those losses really wrecked the '01 season.

[@NYG5]

Paul Kelly fucking offense not getting any points after that fumble recovery at the 40 was pathetic

[@SeanNYGNYR]

NYG5 Dayne had a stupid penalty after a play to push them back 15 yards. Both Eagles games and this one ruined that season but to be fair the Giants shouldn't have won the Cowboys game at home.

[@iamhungey12345]

That was why that time I didn't really notice Strahan's sack season, I remember it was a disappointing season. Also it was because of that game I despised the Rams that season and wanted them to lose.

[@bigrich6075]

Had there offense averaged well over 20-25 points they would have been a championship contender. They had the defense to do it.

[@paulf1461]

This was not the only game the Giants gave the Rams fits. The Giants always seemed to be a tough matchup for those greatest show on turf Rams teams because they rushed the passer so well.

[@danielkelegian5306]

The Rams and Eagles losses hurt us but the nail in the coffin was the Eagles loss at Veterans stadium. Strahan was a monster that game but had a BS roughing the passer called on him to extend the Eagles final drive. Then Ron Dixon almost pulled off a miracle. THat was one of the toughest losses to take.

[@phuturephunk]

Strahan was jobbing the tackle assigned to him the whole game. I remember this game clearly for just how much of a beating Warner took. What's funny is they didn't even win the game. Knocked him down over 20 times and the offense still couldn't bail em out.

[@iamhungey12345]

@Richard Eggers Not to mention in 2001 and 2002 they would rank top 10 in yard offense but still managed to rank near the bottom in scoring. 2001 especially where Kerry Collins and Tiki Barber tried to set the single season fumbling record. No idea if they had succeeded.

[@NYG5]

@@iamhungey12345 Collins had the fumble record, I think the next year Culpepper matched that number too. The trouble with those offenses was turnovers, yes, but also the offensive line and the lack of a real explosive, mismatch sort of player. Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard were good, Jurevicius was pretty good (inconsistent hands though, he dropped a pass that was intercepted as the Giants were marching down the field the last minute of the game); but when the field started getting narrow, their weak offensive line and lack of an athletic tight end or big mismatch receiver ala Burress or Terrell Owens hampered the offense. Once they got Shockey and put in their good, young offensive line in 2002 it all changed. Then when the offensive line really got buffed around 2005-2008 and you had the Giants putting up huge numbers when they could power the ball in there. But in this game when you have two 40 year olds on the weak side of the line and a nobody at center and no big play receiver to rack up those easy big plays, that's where you get a low scoring offense; then you introduce botched snaps and reckless ballhandling and you get the low points per 100 yard metric. Even in 2003, a horrible season, the Giants were a top 3 offense as far as yards go but were probably the worst team in terms of points per 100 yards.

[@rickwpaperworkmakeschildsu4655]

OMG I remember watching this game and couldnt believe the game this manimal had, I knew i was watching a HOFer!

[@dme1016]

Warner is like, "Uh...Who's blocking Steahan?".

[@BearerOfBadNews]

Really miss the play-by-play of Summerall & Madden. Golden days of the NFL.

[@clutchcity25]

That tackle was getting cooked for 60 minutes, this was an exceptional Strahan game.

[@Careerender]

This is the game Warner said that fans mistaken his jersey # for 92.

[@toddtaylor6506]

Half his hits on Warner would get flagged for meanness in today's game, lol.

[@dottietracy1564]

Michael never slows down always a winner🤗

[@toddoverby5538]

HELLO! Tucker only had use of one of his hands. The other was in a cast. Can't believe nobody mentions this. Even Madden only mentions it once in passing. Nothing against Strahan, but common, the guy blocking him only had full use of one arm!

[@dottietracy1564]

Good going Michael Got it all the way 😍

[@dwaynehardwell897]

If u constantly watching ur tackle get beat why stick with the same game plan? Hell I would’ve switched one of the best lineman to ever play to Michael side no chips no quick passes no screen

[@BillyBob-jb3yy]

Strahan the man

[@aviator259]

Do you have the full game????

[@BallinNQnz]

I remember the valiant effort by Strahan in a tough loss for the Giants. Had the Giants won this game they would have at least reached the NFC Championship game. But this one point loss followed by another one point loss the following week really set the tone for a mediocre season. They finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs. With a win here the Giants would have had so much momentum the rest of the season they would have had a very good season.

[@Onlyhiphopbrendan]

How many sacks was that, 2.5? 3?

[@danielkelegian5306]

Bullshit PI call cost us this game badly.

[@NYG5]

Ehhhh, offense had some real bad reckless plays too. Collins threw a needless pass into double coverage, apparently Dayne had a unsportsmanlike penalty or something to push them out of FG range, Jurevicius dropping a pass that got intercepted on the last play of the game. Bullshit call, but the team squandered their best defensive performance of the year

[@danielkelegian5306]

@@NYG5 We can go back and review the mistakes and not making plays as much as we want because the Rams also made mistakes but at the end of the day, that PI call cost us big time, especially with the way our defense was handling them.

[@TDL-xg5nn]

What a joke. The tackle he was going up against was badly injured with a separated shoulder. He never should have started. Once they put in the backup you didn't hear from Strahan again.

[@dottietracy1564]

Stomp them out Michael 🤩

[@FANGTHELASTWOLF]

Couple Late hits but ok.

[@buster60341]

I hate the Giants with a passion but Michael Strahan was a beast in his prime and he was my Giants second player other than LT

[@rams24_7]

Strahan should be glad he played LE because Pace would have shut him down

[@TDL-xg5nn]

A healthy Ryan Tucker would have handled him. Tucker had a separated shoulder and was in a lot of pain. He should not have started. Notice when they replace Tucker suddenly you don't hear from Strahan again.

[@clutchcity25]

We know he ran from Orlando Pace, smart on his part quite frankly.

[@MrDirkzilla]

Lol how high are you guys? Dumb comments