In an article today in the New York Times, Joe LaPointe profiles one of, if not the biggest asset to the Giants, their defensive line.

Veteran defensive lineman Reynaldo Wynn tells LaPointe how excited he is to be a part of this group of players.

“Everybody wants to know: ‘What are we doing? What’s so different?’ ” Wynn said. “I say: ‘Look, man, I’m going to be honest. This is D-line heaven. It’s the kind of stuff I’ll be telling my grandkids about.’ ”

The Giants lead the NFC with 30 sacks and ranked third in the NFL overall in defense.

Mathias Kiwanuka describes how the lineman discuss their plays with coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who encourages input from his players who describe the sessions as ‘lively’ a stark contrast from the typical team meetings where players are falling asleep in their chairs.

Justin Tuck appreciates the way everyone has a chance to share their ideas.

“Coach Spags would be like: ‘Hmmm. It looked good on film. Let’s put that in,’ ” Tuck said. “Coach Spags asks so much from his D-line. That’s why he gives us a voice.”

An important component to the Giants success, and often overlooked is the contributions and guidance by line coach Mike Waufle, who is described by first-string tackle Barry Cofield as “a mad scientist” and by Dave Tollefson who calls him “a guru.” Waufle descibes how his service as a marine in the 1970s shaped him.

“In the Marine Corps, you have to be able to improvise and adapt. I try to work at some creativity. We have a very intelligent group.”

Check out the full article in today’s New York Times.

Hat tip to Katie Bakes for the link.