NEW ORLEANS — To hear Dexter Lawrence, one of the NFL’s most disruptive defensive players, describe his time on the field as “timid’’ was quite an admission from a 340-pound intimidator who anchors the Giants’ defensive line.
That is how Lawrence characterized his play early in the 24-22 victory over the Packers.
Lawrence, prior to the bye week, sat out with a strained hamstring as the Giants beat the Patriots 10-7 — the first game he missed with an injury in his five-year career.
He was able to return to play 29 of the 68 snaps on defense against the Packers, far less than his normal workload, so as not to overload the hamstring and risk a setback.
“In the beginning of the game I was a little timid, not practicing fast, fast during the week,’’ Lawrence told The Post. “As the game went on, got to be a football player and go play.’’
Lawrence was not his dominating self — he is the highest-rated defensive player in the league, according to Pro Football Focus — but he did end up with three tackles, one-half sack and two quarterback hits.
Best of all for the Giants, he did not re-aggravate the injury.
He should be capable of more in Sunday’s game with the Saints inside the Superdome.
“I trust the guys we have in the room and they had an awesome game,” Lawrence said. “Obviously I want to be on the field as much as I can but I want to be on the field being able to be Dexter. I think I got enough reps to where I could still be myself and not hurt myself.
“I guess I started getting more comfortable knowing that [the hamstring] was there and understanding how I would feel it and when I would feel it and what it was feeling like.’’
Safety Bobby McCain was waived Saturday to make room on the active roster for TE Darren Waller, who was activated off injured reserve.
The status of Saints WR Chris Olave is worth monitoring, as he is listed as questionable with a sprained ankle.
He did not practice all week.
Olave leads the Saints in receptions (72), receiving yards (918) and touchdown catches (4).
Saints RT Ryan Ramczyk has a knee injury and is unlikely to play.
Kayvon Thibodeaux turned 23 this past Friday and has been a big part of his team’s reversal of fortune.
Thibodeaux has at least five tackles and one-half sack in the past three games, all Giants victories.
His 11 sacks and 12 tackles for loss lead the team.
Coach Brian Daboll said he was not concerned that Saquon Barkley would have any sort of negative carryover from his fumble late in Monday’s game that gave the Packers life.
“He’s over it,’’ Daboll said. “Obviously, he was down because of that play, but he made some good plays, too.
“You know, he’s a competitor and he’s a good leader for us. Once that game is over and that night is over, you get on to the next week and move on.’’
If the Giants win this game, Tommy DeVito would become the first undrafted rookie quarterback in the common-draft era (since 1967) to win four games as a starter.
With 120 passing yards, Saints quarterback Derek Carr would join Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson as the only players in NFL history with 3,000 or more passing yards in each of their first 10 seasons.
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