Tag: Daniel Bellinger

Giants-Cowboys Week 13: Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

The New York Giants lost their Week 13 game against the Dallas Cowboys. Here are the snap counts on offense, defense and special teams.

The New York Giants became the first team officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday following a 27-20 loss to the Cooper Rush-led Dallas Cowboys.

For the Giants, it was also their seventh consecutive loss, tying the seventh-longest such streak in franchise history.

Adding injury to insult, Big Blue likely lost nose tackle Dexter Lawrence (elbow) for the season, while several other players also went down with injuries.

Happy Thanksgiving, Giants fans.

Here are the snap counts that contributed to the Giants’ Week 13 loss.

Offensive snaps: 63
Defensive snaps: 76
Special teams snaps: 31

Rookie tight end Theo Johnson has become the unquestioned starter at the position, while fellow tight end Daniel Bellinger has seen his role significantly reduced.

After starting the game on the bench, rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. ended up taking 73 percent of the offensive workload. He did not have a fumble.

The defensive snaps were all over the place due to a multitude of injuries. Notably, rookie safety Tyler Nubin continues to assume a 100 percent snap share.

This week, it was shared by veteran cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, who stepped in to replace Deonte Banks (inactive).

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Giants-Steelers Week 8: Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

The New York Giants lost their Week 8 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here are the snap counts on offense, defense and special teams.

The New York Giants extended their streak of futility in primetime on Monday night, falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 26-18, in what was another winnable game.

After the game, head coach Brian Daboll said his team has to “grow up” and stop shooting themselves in the foot, which is reflective of poor leadership and undisciplined play.

And while no excuses should be made at this point, New York is undoubtedly a little displeased with the league offices and their part-time officials. There were a number of bad calls and missed calls that helped doom Big Blue in Week 8 — and they really don’t need any help losing.

Here are the snap counts that contributed to the Giants’ Week 8 loss.

Offensive snaps: 72
Defensive snaps: 66
Special teams snaps: 30

Would you look at that — offensive tackle Evan Neal took his first snap of the season.

Cornerback Deonte Banks took just 41 percent of the defensive snaps after being benched on Monday night. His downward spiral continues but Daboll insists he’ll return to the starting role against Washington.

Tight end Daniel Bellinger was not a part of Monday’s gameplan, taking just a single snap while rookie tight end Theo Johnson received 70.

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Official who called Giants for errant facemask has interesting Cowboys history

The referee who called an errant facemask on New York Giants TE Daniel Bellinger has a questionable history officiating Dallas Cowboys games.

The media is beating up the New York Giants for losing another winnable game against a division opponent after their 20-15 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night.

Yes, they had to settle for five field goals in the game and only got into the red zone twice, but if you look deeper, you’ll find that the officials in that game did not do them any favors.

Dial it back to the first quarter. The Giants took possession on their own 15 and drove down to the Dallas 37 in four plays. On the fifth play, a second-and-7, quarterback Daniel Jones ran for a four-yard gain to the 33.

The officials, whose crew is led by Clay Martin, called a facemask penalty on Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger negating the play. Replays revealed that Bellinger did not commit any penalty at all. In fact, the facemask should have been called on Dallas linebacker Demarion Overshown.

The officials got the call wrong and did not pick up the flag after a short conference. Instead of the Giants having a third-and-3 on the Dallas 33, they were pushed back 15 yards to the Dallas 48.

The Giants ended up settling for a field goal on that drive. Who’s to say they wouldn’t have anyway, but we’ll never know. In a game that was settled by less than one score, little things matter. They add up.

That’s not really the only point here, however. NFL analyst Warren Sharp posted this set of facts on his X media account:

We’re not big on conspiracy theories but we wouldn’t be doing our due diligence if we didn’t share these facts.

In fact, we’ll debunk any conspiracy right now by pointing out that Dallas was called for 11 penalties for 89 yards in the game to the Giants’ four for 35 yards.

But this one on Bellinger hurt. They should have picked up the flag.

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Giants tight ends have yet to make their mark in the passing game

New York Giants tight ends have not factored into the passing game through two weeks, which is by design Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka say.

Over the past decade, the NFL has seen the role of receiving tight ends expand into something special. The successful teams usually have a go-to tight end that they can call on to both bail them out in the short passing game or even lead the charge in the passing game.

The New York Giants lost Darren Waller to retirement this past offseason but believe they had a productive tandem in Daniel Bellinger and rookie Theo Johnson.

Through two games, however, neither has distinguished themself and it may not be their fault. The offensive game plan is simply bypassing them in favor of the wide receivers and running backs.

Johnson, who many have earmarked for stardom, has been targeted just four times, catching one pass for 18 yards. Bellinger caught his only target for a three-yard gain.

“The tight ends are doing a great job,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said on Thursday. “Coach (Tim) Kelly, (Angela Baker), they do an awesome job getting those guys prepared. And of course, we have them involved in the run game. We have them involved in the pass game. Just as the game, the flow of the game goes, it goes in a direction or not. And if we have to transition that, then we will.”

Head coach Brian Daboll is the one actually calling the plays, though. Earlier this week he was asked about the tight end usage in Sunday’s loss in Washington.

“I think the tight ends were involved,” he said. “They were involved in protection and allowing us to throw the ball 20, 25 yards down the field or deep comebacks or go’s or posts. So, everybody has a role to do. That depends on the game and the team we’re playing. And when their number is called, I expect them to go out there and make it. Whatever that may be, whether it’s blocking, pass blocking, run blocking. It takes all 11.”

The addition of rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers has put a dent in everyone’s targets. Of the Giants’ 65 passing targets so far, 25 of them have gone Nabers’ way.

Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson is next with 16 and no other player has more than eight targets this season. Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, who many experts predicted a huge breakout season from, has had just one pass thrown his way, which fell incomplete.

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Giants’ Mike Kafka: Daniel Bellinger ‘does it all in the pass game’

New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka praised TE Daniel Bellinger’s growth and says he “does it all in the pass game.”

The New York Giants selected tight end Daniel Bellinger in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. Since then, he has recorded 55 receptions for 523 yards, two touchdowns, and a fumble.

Bellinger also averaged 9.5 yards per play in his first two seasons.

Now, with the retirement of Darren Waller, he will have a much bigger role in 2024.

Giants assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, Mike Kafka, is pleased with Bellinger’s progress and views him as a leader among his group.

“So, Belly is one of those kind of guys that kind of does it all in the pass game, in the run game. He’s continuing to develop and grow. He’s getting stronger,” Kafka told reporters on Thursday.

“You saw that leap from Year 1 to Year 2, and you can see his confidence in Year 3 of just being in the same system for three years. That’s going to pay dividends for him. I’m excited about him because he’s one of those guys that I see and I visualize as a leader of that group. So, whether he’s on the field or he’s off the field, he’s one of those great teammates that you can rely on.”

At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, Bellinger is more than another target for Daniel Jones; he can also run with the ball and serve as an extra blocker for Jones.

Bellinger’s role will be different this year, but he’s ready.

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Giants’ Daniel Bellinger learning from the top TEs in the business

New York Giants third-year tight end Daniel Bellinger is leaving no stone unturned in his development, rubbing elbows with football’s best.

The retirement of Darren Waller has left a lot of opportunity for the other players in the New York Giants tight end room, most specifically Daniel Bellinger, who is entering his third season in blue.

The Giants anticipated Waller’s decision to retire this offseason, signing veterans Chris Manhertz and Jack Stoll, and then adding Penn State standout Theo Johnson in the draft.

In a recent interview with Jordan Raanan of ESPN, Bellinger spoke about what he is concentrating on this summer at camp

Bellinger also spoke about his time at the Tight End University, which was founded by All-Pro NFL tight ends George Kittle, Travis Kelce, and Greg Olsen in 2021.

The event was held June 17-19 in Nashville and hosted everyone who is anyone playing the position at a high level these days.

“This is my third year going,” said Bellinger. “It’s definitely growing for sure.”

Bellinger said the first night consisted of a group session of around 30 players where each player divulged their experiences from the previous season.

“You get perspective from every other guy and every other team around the league,” he said. “The first thing you take away was ‘how was the season for everybody else?’ and compare it to your season and go from there.

“After that, you get to the classroom and the field and get to listen to George about how much he loves blocking. It’s a good time with guys who have done it for a long time and picking their brains about football.

“One of the most important things I took was from Greg Olsen. He was like, ‘Everybody’s past is different. Everyone has different quarterbacks, offenses, situations…it doesn’t matter where you are right now as long as you keep getting better, keep chipping away you can reach the goals you want to reach.’

“He talks about how he wasn’t a Pro Bowler until his eighth or ninth season. It wasn’t that he wasn’t a Pro Bowl tight end, it’s just that he needed to keep working at his craft to get to that level. Those words of wisdom are what I’ll take away the most of.”

Bellinger said he will be going back to Nashville this summer to work more with Kittle. Raanan asked him about the legendary workout compound Kittle had created in Tennessee.

“He’s fortunate enough to have built his own property and little field and gym there, so he’s a big advocate of getting guys together, getting better together. I’m going to get back together with him and get some good work in Nashville. Nice and humid and hot,” Bellinger said.

“He’s built this nice barn with a weight room in there. It’s got three stories with a bunch of recovery stuff upstairs and a college-like gym on the bottom with a 50-yard field outside.”

Whatever the workout regimen is at Kittle’s compound, it’s worked for Bellinger, who has become more and more physically imposing with each season.

Last year, Bellinger was the blocking end. This year, we could see more offense from him as the Giants sort out their tight end room. Ironically, Bellinger is just six months older than the rookie, Johnson, but already has the jump on him with two years of pro experience under his belt.

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Unsung Giants tight end named ‘most surprising’ performer of OTAs

New York Giants tight end Lawrence Cager was the team’s “most surprising” performer this spring and could be in line for a major role.

The New York Giants are currently enjoying their summer break following weeks of organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp.

While players are away, experts and analysts continue to break down what they’ve seen over the spring, and that includes Jordan Raanan of ESPN, who came away extremely impressed with tight end Lawrence Cager.

In fact, Raanan says, Cager was the “most surprising” performer of OTAs.

Tight end Darren Waller’s retirement opened opportunities for others. It looked this spring like Cager and fourth-round pick Theo Johnson will be asked to fill that pass-catching role. Both received some first-team reps and made plays in what primarily serves as a passing camp. Coach Brian Daboll even mentioned that Cager was “probably one of the most improved players throughout the offseason,” which could open the door for him to make a significant contribution this season.

Given Waller’s unsurprising retirement, the Giants will have to lean on their depth to fill the void. That includes Cager, who has long been viewed as a player with a high upside who simply hasn’t hit their stride yet.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Cager originally signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted rookie out of Georgia in 2019. He also had a stint with the Cleveland Browns sandwiched in between his second stop with the Jets before joining the Giants in October of 2022.

The 26-year-old Cager has appeared in 21 career games (five starts), hauling in 19 receptions for 189 yards and two touchdowns. However, those numbers are not at all indicative of his potential as a pass-catcher.

“He played receiver, he was a guy that I recruited when he was coming out of high school, too. So, I think he’s developing the skills he needs to play at the position,” head coach Brian Daboll said of Cager last year. “He’s an athletic young man but he’s going to need to do multiple things whether it’s in the kicking game, whether it’s be ready to go at tight end, but he’s had the right mindset.”

While many assume Daniel Bellinger will step in as TE1 in place of the departed Waller, don’t sleep on Cager, whose development is now catching up to his potential.

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Giants’ Daniel Bellinger once again attending Tight End University

New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger is attending George Kittle and Travis Kelce’s Tight End University for the third straight year.

Following the retirement of Darren Waller, New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger seems primed to make the most of the opportunity in front of him.

Last week, Bellinger made it clear that with the void left by Waller, he is ready to do whatever the team needs him to do.

“Whatever they need me to do, I’m going to do,” Bellinger told reporters during minicamp. “I’m just going to do anything they want me to do. They want me to stick my head in the dirt, go out, and catch a pass; I’m going to do what they need me to do.”

Meanwhile, in an effort to continue bettering himself, Bellinger is attending Tight End University for the third consecutive year.

The Giants’ third-year tight end will have to earn the starting job over rookie Theo Johnson, who the team selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft with the status of Waller unclear. Coincidentally, Bellinger was also taken in the fourth round of his respective draft.

Last year, Bellinger caught the eye of both George Kittle and Travis Kelce, two of the league’s best tight ends, who founded Tight End University in 2021.

As Bellinger continues to improve and gets accustomed to the NFL, he has made his attendance at Tight End U a routine at this point.

After getting bumped down on the depth chart when Waller was acquired last offseason, the Giants will now lean on Bellinger ahead of 2024. He certainly hopes to build off his impressive rookie year and re-establish himself as a reliable option for Daniel Jones.

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Theo Johnson could have big rookie season with retirement of Darren Waller

A retirement in the Giants organization likely puts Penn State’s Theo Johnson in the fast lane for a starting job.

It had been speculated throughout the NFL offseason, but New York Giants tight end Darren Waller officially made a decision regarding his playing future. He announced on June 9 that he is retiring from the NFL, primarily due to a health scare and not feeling that he can give his all to the sport any longer. With that saga finally ending, the Giants can fully work towards replacing his role.

They have a few potential candidates to be the primary starter, but it’s likely a two-horse race between third-year player Daniel Bellinger and rookie [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag] from Penn State. Bellinger has the advantage in terms of NFL experience, but he has not produced so far when given opportunities. He has played in 29 games with 24 starts and only racked up 523 yards and two touchdowns.

Bellinger was also just a fifth-round pick, so he isn’t going to get the benefit of the doubt from the coaching staff. Johnson meanwhile was selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft. That decision may have been more about the uncertainty with Waller than any lack of faith in Bellinger, but the Giants front office clearly felt they needed more talent at the position.

Aside from the difference in draft capital, Johnson is also a very different player than Bellinger. Bellinger is more of a fluid, receiving tight end that isn’t going to give you much as a blocker or vertical threat. Johnson meanwhile is less fluid but can use his size well as a blocker, can climb the ladder for jump balls, and can run away from defenders up the seam.

Neither are perfect players, and their contrasting skill sets may actually allow them to co-exist well in the Giants offense. Teams are slowly trying to reverse course on the wide-open, spread-out offenses now that defenses have become faster and lighter in response. Two tight end sets give offenses a huge advantage in the run game, but they also provide mismatches for the passing game.

Even if Theo Johnson isn’t the “starting” tight end, he could still be in for a big workload as a rookie. Only time will tell how well he handles it, but he has the talent to make it work.

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Daniel Bellinger willing to do whatever Giants need after Darren Waller retirement

Following the retirement of Darren Waller, third-year tight end Daniel Bellinger is ready to step up and do whatever the Giants need.

Following his rookie season, tight end Daniel Bollinger had the looks of being a steal in the draft for the New York Giants. However, Bellinger knew he would see a decreased role when the team acquired Darren Waller last offseason.

Interestingly enough, the Giants actually tried to add another big name in Rob Gronkowski but were unsuccessful in luring Gronk out of retirement.

With Waller now one and done with the Giants after announcing his retirement, Bellinger is ready to step up and do whatever the team needs him to do moving forward without Waller:

“Whatever they need me to do, I’m going to do,” Bellinger told reporters on Tuesday when asked about his role. “That’s probably a question for them. I’m just going to do anything they want me to do. They want me to stick my head in the dirt, go out, and catch a pass; I’m going to do what they need me to do.”

After showing up to minicamp bulked up last year, Bellinger has his sights set on working on other things this offseason.

“This year I’ve been focusing on route running stuff more,” he said. “Of course, I needed to step up in every area of my game. I’ve been focusing on the pass side of the game, taking strides that way, and taking steps in the run game.”

Waller’s retirement surprised nobody and the Giants were fully prepared, which is likely a big reason why they took Theo Johnson in the fourth round of this year’s draft.

With Waller and Saquon Barkley no longer on the team, there should be plenty of targets to go around.

The Giants are hopeful Bellinger builds off the success of his rookie year and takes on a big offensive role in 2024.

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