BRACKET CHALLENGE: Michael Strahan vs. Osi Umenyiora

DE Michael Strahan, 2001
Stats: 73 TACK (61 SOLO), 22.5 SACKS, 2 PD, 6 FF, 1 FR
There have been many valiant attempts, but no one has broken Michael Strahan's single-season NFL sack record of 22.5 in 2001. After recording none in the first two weeks, Strahan opened the flood gates with three in his third game. He had at least 1.5 sacks in seven games, including a career-high 4.0 at St. Louis in Week 5. Justin Houston (2014 with Kansas City) and Jared Allen (2011 with Minnesota) have come the closest to breaking the record, but both fell a half-sack short.

New York Giants' Michael Strahan (92) flexes his muscle after sacking Houston Texans quarterback David Carr during the first quarter Sunday, Nov. 24, 2002, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

1 / 7

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2002, file photo, New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan celebrates after sacking Seattle Seahawks quarterback Trent Dilfer during the third quarter of an NFL football game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Single-season sacks leader Strahan and two players who tried to block him are among 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the hall announced Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, File)

2 / 7

New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan (92) pass rushes during an NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J., Dec. 1, 2001. The Titans defeated the Giants 32-29 in overtime. (AP Photo/NFL Photos/Evan Pinkus)

3 / 7

New York Giants, Michael Strahan (92) during a game against the Chicago Bears on September 17, 2000 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Giants beat the Bears 14-7. Michael Strahan played for 15 years all with the Giants. He was a 7-time Pro Bowler and was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.(AP Photo/David Durochik)

4 / 7

New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan (92) rushes for the pocket during the NFL football NFC Championship Jan. 14, 2001 at the Meadowlands. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)

5 / 7

Defensive end Michael Strahan (92) of the New York Giants watches play on August 31, 2001 against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens won 38 - 9. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt))

6 / 7

New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan (92) rushes the pocket during the NFL Championship game Jan. 14, 2001 at the Meadowlands. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)

7 / 7

Advertising

This Ad will close in 3

DE Osi Umenyiora, 2005
Stats: 70 TACK (48 SOLO), 14.5 SACKS, 3 PD, 4 FF, 2 FR
The former second-round pick broke out in his third season when he earned his first Pro Bowl nod and All-Pro honors. The master of the strip-sack registered 14.5 quarterback takedowns and forced four fumbles while recovering two of them. Umenyiora eventually climbed to fourth on the Giants' all-time sacks list with 75, including a franchise-record 32 forced fumbles.