Leonard Williams shows why Giants wanted him with three key sacks in win over Cowboys

Of course Leonard Williams heard all that noise, all that chatter. It’s not as if any of it was discreet.

The Giants were robbed in their trade with the Jets. Dave Gettleman was a fool. Sure, Williams would be an upgrade to the defense, but giving up two draft picks to the Jets — a 2020 third-round selection and a 2021 fifth-round selection that could become a fourth — for a few months service from a soon-to-be free agent was unconscionable, especially with all the holes the Giants had. Especially given that they could have just ponied up cash for him after the season and kept the picks.

Williams couldn’t do anything about that. Except, of course, make some noise of his own.

During Sunday’s 23-19 win over the Cowboys — a win that kept the Giants’ playoff hopes alive, at least for a little while — Williams’ noises sounded something like "crunch!" or "smack!" or "thwack!" It sounded like three sacks, seven tackles (three for a loss) and five quarterback pressures.

He delivered when it mattered the most, sacking Andy Dalton on first-and-goal at the 7-yard line with 1:53 left, preserving a four-point lead. Seconds later, he pressured Dalton again, leading to Xavier McKinney’s interception in the end zone.

"I’ve definitely seen a lot of the criticism and the hate in the press, in the media and by the fans, and it was good to prove them wrong, to show why David Gettleman took a chance on me," Williams said. "It feels good to show him that he made the right choice, and at the end of the day, we had a good season."

Though the trade still is up for debate in the court of public opinion, it looks far better than it did in early November, when the Giants were 1-7. It helps that Williams had a career year, finishing the regular season with 11.5 sacks. It’s the first time in his six seasons that he’s had double-digit sacks; he also has the most sacks of any Giant since Jason Pierre-Paul had 12.5 in 2014.

Williams has flourished under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who seems very much in line to get a head-coaching job of his own someday.

"For the first time in my career to get double-digits, I thought that’s an elite group . . . that feels good," Williams said. "I don’t think that’s ever been a goal. I think being as disruptive as possible is always my goal."

He did plenty of that, sacking Dalton on third-and-8 at the Giants’ 14 in the first quarter and making the Cowboys settle for a field goal. He recorded his next third-down sack in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter with the Giants clinging to a 20-19 lead.

"Leonard is a guy that we know is a tremendous player," coach Joe Judge said. "We needed good plays from him. He definitely stepped up. He’s been a blast to coach."

Though it has been a difficult year (in all sorts of ways), Williams said it’s also been "one of my favorite seasons of my career."

"Overall, the team overcoming adversity and finishing strong right here in a division game . . . whatever happens tonight or not, I think it was a good way to close the season for this team."

Good for him, too. Though Williams said it’s not about the big contract in free agency — "If I’m smart enough, I could retire now and still have enough money" — there’s still the issue of reputation. That reputation was soured a bit when he got maligned along with Gettleman, but that’s in the past.

"It’s just more that I wanted the respect and to show guys the reason why I’m in this league," Williams said.

At least in that, this season was a mission accomplished.

By Laura Albanese

laura.albanese@newsday.com@AlbaneseLaura

Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.