Giants vs. Vikings: Under-the-radar players who can make a difference
Daniel Bellinger of the Giants reacts after a first down during the second quarter against the Colts at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 1. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Everyone knows Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. Here are some of the players who aren’t as recognizable who may have a big impact on Sunday’s wild card game between the Giants and Vikings.
GIANTS
From left, Daniel Bellinger, Tyre Phillips and Landon Collins of the Giants.
DANIEL BELLINGER. The rookie tight end made one of the big blunders in the Christmas Eve game against the Vikings, coughing up a fumble on a possession that was driving toward points. He’s been focusing on ball security since then. That turnover aside he is a key piece to the offense both in blocking and receiving. When Daniel Jones is in trouble in the pocket he’ll often look for Bellinger.
TYRE PHILLIPS. He’s a backup offensive lineman of the Giants but with Evan Neal’s ankle injury popping up late this week he could be called upon at any moment to take over at right tackle. Given that Neal has been struggling in his pass protection, especially since he returned from his knee injury, the Giants may not need a medical excuse to replace him with Phillips. They want to develop Neal, certainly, but not at the expense of a potential playoff victory when they are facing two double-digit sack linebackers in Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith.
LANDON COLLINS. The only player on the active roster with Giants postseason experience has been playing a larger and larger role in the defense each and every week since being activated off the practice squad. Collins will be a key to a defense that will have to be simultaneously stout against the run and agile enough to cover in the passing game.
VIKINGS
From left, T.J. Hockenson, Garrett Bradbury and Harrison Smith of the Vikings.
T.J. HOCKENSON. Brian Daboll put it as plainly as he could this week when reflecting back on the Dec. 24 game against the Vikings: “Hockenson killed us.” The tight end who was acquired from the Lions at the trade deadline caught a season-high 13 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns in that game. Having Xavier McKinney back at safety should help the Giants in defending him.
GARRETT BRADBURY. The Vikings’ starting center has not played since Dec. 4 but has been cleared to start Sunday’s game… just in time to face Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and fellow lineman Leonard Williams. Bradbury did not play in the Dec. 24 game when Lawrence and Williams combined for 12 pressures, two sacks and four hits on Kirk Cousins so he should theoretically be an upgrade over Chris Reed who started that contest. But returning from a back injury (which was exacerbated by a car accident) to face those two will be a tough challenge.
HARRISON SMITH. The veteran safety has been dealing with a knee injury but was limited in practices this week so he should be able to play Sunday. He’s the nerve center of the defense and a ballhawk that the Giants need to be wary of. His six previous playoff games make him one of the most experienced postseason players stepping onto the field, a status that could come in handy if, as many expect, this game comes down to a few pivotal late plays.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
