Inside Belton’s emergence as Mr. Takeaway
EAST RUTHERFORD – Dane Belton stood in a hallway just outside the New York Giants’ locker room following last Friday night’s preseason opener when he was asked if he had claimed the nickname “Mr. Takeaway” yet.
“I’ll take it,” Belton told NorthJersey.com with a laugh.
Of course he will – and rightfully so, considering Belton’s gridiron thievery has been undeniable with every big play he has made this summer.
In the joint practices against the Lions last week, Belton swiped the football from running back David Montgomery and raced the other way for a
score. He had an interception in the game two days later, and then hit the practice field back home Monday and picked Daniel Jones – just the second INT for the Giants’ quarterback in camp sessions – returning it for a 40yard touchdown in a competitive 11on-11 period.
“You won’t be able to make plays on everything, but you have to study and figure out where you can make plays in certain situations,” Belton said. “You’re kind of born with it, but also, there’s things you can do to help get to that point.”
Belton intercepted Jones in camp last summer as well, although the outcome was not ideal. He fractured his collarbone after landing awkwardly in the end zone, and the injury ultimately wrecked his rookie season.
For a matter of record, Belton played in 15 regular season games and both playoff games with five starts. But his production was not what he had hoped, and by the mid-point of the Giants’ season in which they reached the postseason and registered their first playoff win since Super Bowl XLVI, Belton’s game was clearly affected.
“He’s one of those guys that the ball finds him, and he finds the ball,” Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said of Belton, 22. “That’s a great trait to have when you’re in the secondary in the National Football League. So, I’m really happy for him. He is healthy, and I’m seeing the Dane that I thought that I would see being healthy.”
The Giants were tied with the Las Vegas Raiders for the lowest interception total in the league last season. They had just six INTs, and their 19 takeaways ranked 25th in the NFL.
Jason Pinnock has had a great camp, earning his current role in the projected starting lineup next to Xavier McKinney. But Belton’s presence in the box in three-safety sub-packages has jumped off the field over the past week or so.
Martindale wants versatility in his “positionless” defense, and Belton has said that he feels most comfortable in a hybrid role with both safety and linebacker responsibilities. The Giants will mix and match, finding ways to get their best playmakers - especially on the back end - onto the field as often as possible.
Sixth-round rookie corner Tre Hawkins III’s emergence on the boundary opposite first-round rookie Deonte Banks has allowed Martindale to kick Adoree’ Jackson inside to the slot, where Darnay Holmes and Cor’Dale Flott have been up and down since the start of camp.
Jackson might make the most sense in the nickel in Week 1 against the Cowboys, given star CeeDee Lamb’s production in the slot. Giants secondary coach Jerome Henderson said Wednesday that this is the deepest group of defensive backs he has coached in quite some time, and Belton is making it difficult to keep him off the field.
Belton tried to play through the pain last season, to his detriment. But now that he’s back feeling like himself - and looking like himself between the lines Henderson praised Belton’s football IQ as “one of the highest I’ve ever coached” on Wednesday morning.
“Being healthy now, being able to go out there and not think about my shoulder and my collarbone, that’s huge,” Belton said. “Being able to play fast, play physical, and just playing football the way I want to play.”