TE Daniel Bellinger Part of Rookie Class Playing Vital Role in Giants' 5-1 Start

The Giants are getting some solid play from their 2022 draft class, and tight end Daniel Bellinger is leading the way.

Author:
Andrew Parsaud
Publish date:
Oct 17, 2022 11:30 AM EDT

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New York Giants

The New York Giants did it again, stunning yet another favored opponent against whom they weren't supposed to beat.

But no one told the Giants that, as they handed the Baltimore Ravens a 24-20 loss in a dramatic come-from-behind fashion to improve to 5-1, their best start to a season since 2009.

The Giants didn’t exactly dominate the Ravens in terms of total yardage--it was the opposite, as the Ravens had 406 yards of offense to the Giants' 238.

Despite the lopsided team stats, the Giants' offense could still efficiently score three touchdowns, one of which came from rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger.

Bellinger has seen an increased workload each week--this week, he took part in 94 percent of the team's offensive snaps--and his impact on the game plan has been evident.

The rookie out of San Diego State has now hauled in 15 receptions for 139 yards and a team-leading two receiving touchdowns, as well as one rushing touchdown on the year. Bellinger has done it all, from scoring to blocking.

“It's more or less just keep fighting," Bellinger said of the team's 5-1 start. "It’s good where we’re at, but we still have to keep taking it one practice at a time and keep getting better so we can keep growing this thing.”

The Giants now have four fourth-quarter comebacks this season, the most in the NFL. They’ve shown that they are a second-half team, usually starting the game off very slowly and then turning it up once the fourth quarter begins.

Quarterback Daniel Jones has been a huge part of that, leading the offense down the field and being able to convert in the red zone is a huge improvement from seasons past.

“We’re a resilient group. We work hard. We fight hard, and we just keep fighting when the tables are down. That’s what we do,” Bellinger said.

A big part of the Giants' win at home was the emergence of the 2022 rookie class. In addition to Bellinger, edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux had the strip sack on quarterback Lamar Jackson late in the fourth quarter to seal the game.

Offensive tackle Evan Neal also had a solid game, being put on an island the whole time. Bellinger had five catches for 38 yards and one touchdown, and safety Dane Belton had six tackles and one pass deflection.

The most exciting one was wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who caught three passes for 37 yards and hauled in his first career touchdown. After going down in Week 1 with a knee injury that cost him the last four games, Robinson returned on a limited snap count but still made a big impact, including a pair of clutch third-down catches and, of course, a touchdown catch that ended a successful trip to the red zone.

With the rookies making a huge impact in Sunday’s win, it shows how much faith head coach Brian Daboll and the rest of the coaching staff has on these young players to contribute.

It also highlights how much the veteran players feed off the young players' energy.

“Coach Dabs always preaches, ‘If you know what to do and know how to do it, keep building that trust.’ So as rookies, we just come in and do what he asks and make sure we know what to do so we can get on the field. I think it comes down to keep going in that manner and just knowing what to do,” Bellinger said.

“Coach Daboll preaches just guys knowing what to do and how to do it. We just keep building that trust with the older guys and the vets. I think we have great leadership that helps us with that. Just keep going and keep moving.”

Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka have put their trust in Bellinger, as he’s had some big plays over the last few weeks. Last week in London, the designed play was intended for him to throw a pass; instead, he tucked the ball and powered his way in for a touchdown.

He’s been schemed available on bootleg plays for easy first downs. His two touchdown catches, the first against Carolina and the second against Baltimore, came in huge spots during each game, and he’s becoming a sneaky-good weapon for the Giants' offense.

“Honestly, I just have to keep making steps and making strides. There are some big plays, but there’s a lot of stuff I can improve on,” Bellinger said

Bellinger has also made his presence known in the run game. He was known for being a good blocker coming into the league and has shown that he can hold his own in the NFL.

“I love blocking. It’s a big part of the game. I think for tight ends, it’s really important. It can bring a hybrid to the game, just helping our offense whether we need a big block on a run or a slip out for a pass.”

They've had to look more towards Bellinger for a Giants offense that has been decimated with injuries at the wide receiver position. They will continue to even as that position begins to get healthier.