Giants' Dexter Lawrence in jeopardy of missing game for second time in his career

Dexter Lawrence has missed exactly one game in his NFL career. And despite not practicing this week, he hopes to keep it that way.

The Giants nose tackle, who suffered a hamstring injury last week and was listed as doubtful ahead of their game against the Patriots on Sunday, said “of course” there is a chance he will suit up. He’s been working out on an underwater treadmill and added that “I always want to be available.”

“I’ve been getting better,” he said on Friday at the Giants’ training facility. “Even after the day it happened — at first it was really tight and just throughout the week, I’ve been rehabbing, recovering and it’s been loosening up, so I’ve been feeling good.”

Despite his one sack this season, Lawrence was listed as the NFL’s top interior defender going into Friday, according to Pro Football Focus.

“It causes turnovers,” he said of his disruptive abilities. “That’s the biggest thing — I’m not always going to get the sack. We’re not always going to get the sack, but if we can create a turnover by affecting the quarterback, that’s a positive, too.”

Lawrence was told of Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s comments earlier in the day. He called him “a major force, hard guy to block, big, athletic,” according to the Boston Herald. “It’s hard to move him off the line of scrimmage, and when he penetrates, he can penetrate as well as any player in the league. He’s big and powerful and long. It’s pretty unique.”

Said Lawrence: “That’s my goal every week — wreck the game. That’s done by being disruptive, causing quarterbacks to panic, think about where they want to run the ball, things like that. I love that compliment.”

Regardless of Lawrence’s status, inside linebacker Bobby Okereke believes the Giants' defense will adapt. Brian Daboll said A’Shawn Robinson or Rakeem Nunez-Rochez likely will see more playing time if Lawrence is out.

“I mean, he’s a game-wrecker, so if he doesn’t play, obviously it’s going to be tough to try to match his level of play,” Daboll said. “But we have a great next-man-up mentality.

“Dexter’s been doing such a phenomenal job this season. If we have to rest him and it’s in the best interest of the team long term and him long term, you know, that’ll be a decision of the coach and [those] on top of him.”

Student of the game

Daboll praised Kayvon Thibodeaux’s work ethic in the wake of the outside linebacker becoming the first player to register 10 sacks in defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s coaching career.

“I think he’s just done a good job, really, in every area of his game, taking improvements from the first year to the next,” Daboll said. “He really works hard at his craft. He meets a lot with the coaches.

“Last week, I went in there and he’s kind of running a meeting with a bunch of the defensive guys, too. So that’s a good thing to see, and they’re going through pass-rush games and different guys. He’s done a nice job for us since he’s been here.”

Lawrence said the rest of the defense was interested in getting a different perspective from Thibodeaux.

“We let that happen just so he can learn and at the same time, have us listen to him and see how he thinks about it,” Lawrence said. “Everybody knows how we think about it and how me and Bobby [Okereke] see things. It’s good to see it from a different perspective and a guy that’s growing as a player in the league.”

Injury report

WR Darius Slayton (neck) originally was not expected to practice but joined the team as a limited participant after showing some unexpected improvement and is listed as doubtful. T Evan Neal (ankle) is out and CB Adoree’ Jackson (concussion) is questionable.

By Laura Albanese

laura.albanese@newsday.com@AlbaneseLaura

Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.