Marshall Law: Make Most of Bad Situation

The system is stacked against defensive end Leonard Marshall.

In the New York Giants defense, Marshall must read and then react. He can’t gamble when he rushes the quarterback because he has containment responsibilities. He must stick to the plan because if he doesn’t it will have repercussions elsewhere.

It’s a scheme that makes the defensive linemen plug gaps and makes linebackers look like stars. John Madden has called Marshall the best two-gap defensive end in the NFL, but you don’t make the Pro Bowl as a set-up man.

Marshall is having his best year since the 1986 Super Bowl season and so are the Giants (11-4), who can wrap up the NFC East with a victory over the Raiders today.

Marshall has 9 1/2 sacks, 56 tackles (6 1/2 for losses) and has pressured the quarterback a team-high 89 times. But the Pro Bowl recognition went to the player who lines up outside Marshall’s right shoulder, Lawrence Taylor.

“Leonard has had a great year,” Taylor said. “But when you vote for the Pro Bowl you have a lot of names in front of you. A lot of times players just call out the names they’ve heard before.”

Taylor’s name has been called as often as any player in league history. If he plays in the Pro Bowl Feb. 4 it will be his record-tying ninth consecutive appearance in the postseason all-star game.

Taylor and Marshall have occupied the right side of the Giants front seven since 1984. It has been a mutually beneficial relationship. Each diverts some of the opponents’ attention from the other.

But it’s Taylor’s name that ends up on the marquee. He performs the spectacular stunts while Marshall and Carl Banks play it straight.

“You have to be a little more conservative as a player, so it’s very difficult to get sacks and make big plays in this defense,” Marshall said. “You think about it, but can’t really let it affect the way you play. You have to continue to work hard.

“People will recognize you. You know who has played well and who deserves to be in that spot. That’s all that matters.”

Because they have to plot ways to control him, opposing coaches recognize the contribution Marshall makes.

Earlier this season the Redskins, Cowboys and Chargers tried to avoid Marshall and Taylor by directing their offense to the other side. The Chargers used a seven-man line and often double-teamed Taylor and Marshall. They were contained, but the Chargers offense sputtered and the Giants won the game.

“The most unsung guy on the Giants is lined up right next to Taylor,” San Diego Coach Dan Henning said. “I think Marshall is as good a right defensive end as you’re gonna see anywhere. Some people are great pass rushers and some are good run defenders. This guy is one of those people who falls in the category of being probably one of the top four guys at his position in doing both things.

“He’s been next to Lawrence all this time and he’s in the position of doing more of the grit work. But if you overemphasize LT you are going to have your hands full with Marshall.”

Once left end Eric Dorsey was sidelined in the second game with a broken bone in his right foot, offense’s were able to concentrate even more on Marshall.

The Giants have gotten hardly any pressure from the left side all season. Occasionally Taylor is switched to that side, but no permanent solution has been found. When Taylor hurt his ankle against San Francisco, Marshall was the only legitimate pass rusher left.

Even so Marshall has had some big games rushing the quarterback.

He beat Minnesota’s Pro Bowl tackle Gary Zimmerman for two sacks and pressured the quarterback four other times. His second sack against Seattle forced Kelly Stouffer to fumble and led to a safety. Against Denver he pressured John Elway 10 times, sacked him once and drew two holding penalties against Gerald Perry (one wiped out a 50-yard gain by Bobby Humphrey).

Sunday Marshall may be lined up against the Raiders’ second string tackle, Steve Wright. Starter Rory Graves is listed as doubtful because of a foot injury.

“You can’t count on it, but you notice (those things),” Marshall said. “Like the week before I noticed Gerald Perry was apt to get holding penalties.

“So you go into the game and work hard and keep pressure on the guy. You try to make it tough and if you do those things you get a lot of satisfaction.”

Marshall hasn’t received postseason recognition since he was a Pro Bowler in 1985 and 86. It’s not just a coincidence that those were the two seasons when Marshall posted his best sack totals.

Three of the four starting defensive ends in the Pro Bowl are among the top three in their conference in sacks. Of the six ends named to Pro Bowl, only one, Bruce Smith of Buffalo, played in a 3-4 defense.

“The bottom line is I’ve played well and I had a great year. I’m not disappointed,” Marshall said. “We have a shot to win the division this weekend and we’ll see what happens after that.”