By Mike Golic
Special to ESPN.com
It's not so much that Ray Lewis makes all the plays, it's how he makes those plays. For a few years, everybody thought the quality of tackling in the NFL had slipped a bit. Ray Lewis and the Ravens defense have brought good old tackling back to the NFL. Lewis at middle linebacker is reminiscent of Jack Lambert and Dick Butkus; not comparing ability, but just comparing the fire and the aggressiveness with which they play. I was brought up in the tackling school of thought that you drive through the man, plant him into the ground, and if he doesn't get up, so be it. Many are taught that at a young age, but very few can do it. Lewis can do it and he does it better than anyone; this man will try to pummel his opponent every single time he makes a tackle.
Lewis is a total, complete linebacker. He's just as good at filling a hole as he is sideline-to-sideline. Then you throw in his fire -- and forget about it. Every guy on the other side of the ball is peaking to find out where Lewis is, because they know he doesn't just want to bring them down, he wants to put them into the ground. If you have the ball, 75 percent of the time Lewis will eventually get to you. In Super Bowl XXXV, Lewis will be looking to
bury a lot of Giants.
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By Mark Malone
Special to ESPN.com
Michael Strahan has turned into a technician from a physical standpoint. He's not particularly big for a defensive end, but he's become a student of the game; the prime example of that was in the NFC championship game against the Vikings. Korey Stringer had Strahan by almost 100 pounds but Strahan still managed to bull-rush Stringer -- he picked him up and carried him back to the QB. Strahan has a quick first step and studied enough of Stringer to know how to use Stringer's own weight against him. The NFL has become a game all about specialists, and Strahan has become a specialist at the DE position. He can play the run and rush the passer, which is extremely valuable and makes him one of the best ends in the league.
There is also the intangible quality Strahan brings to the locker room. He's an articulate guy who has taken a leadership role -- most clearly demonstrated by the Kerry Collins situation. When Collins first came to New York, he wasn't exactly embraced by many of the Giants' players. Phillippi Sparks and several others didn't want anything to do with Collins -- including not having their locker next to his. Strahan went to Fassel and asked the coach to put Collins next to him. By doing that, Strahan sent a message to the team that if he could accept Collins, so could everyone else. That move gave Collins a comfort level and let everyone know it was time to work together -- and they've worked together all the way to the Super Bowl. That kind of leadership ability will be invaluable against the
Ravens.
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