In the high-stakes world of the NFL, every play counts. But for New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks, a couple of recent lapses in effort have raised eyebrows and drawn sharp criticism from coaches and teammates alike.
Banks Under Fire for Lackluster Effort
The trouble began during the Giants’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. On a fourth-quarter play, Banks visibly slowed down while attempting to tackle quarterback Jalen Hurts, allowing Hurts to gain an additional seven yards and a first down. The lack of hustle was glaringly obvious, especially to defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, who was seen fuming on the sideline.
Banks acknowledged his mistake after the game, telling teammates in the locker room that it was a “bad play” and vowing it wouldn’t happen again. But this wasn’t an isolated incident.
A Pattern of Questionable Effort?
Just a few weeks earlier, in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Banks came under fire for giving questionable effort on a 55-yard touchdown by Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb. Many believed Banks could have made the tackle before Lamb reached the end zone, but he appeared to let up on the play.
“Didn’t like it. Liked nothing about it,” Coach Henderson said bluntly of Banks’ effort on the Lamb touchdown.
For a player drafted in the first round and expected to be a cornerstone of the Giants’ defense, these lapses are concerning. Banks has already allowed four touchdowns this season when he was the nearest defender, according to NextGen Stats. That’s tied for the second-most in the NFL.
Accountability and Moving Forward
To his credit, Banks has owned up to his mistakes. “It won’t happen again. It can’t,” he said Friday. Coach Brian Daboll said the issue has been addressed with Banks directly and the team is moving on, confirming Banks will start Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Still, the young cornerback’s struggles haven’t gone unnoticed by his teammates. Defensive captain Dexter Lawrence didn’t mince words:
“It’s not acceptable. He knows it. We addressed it and that’s the type of thing that we don’t accept as a defense.”
The Giants’ defense may be shorthanded going into the Monday night game, with several cornerbacks missing practice this week due to injuries. That makes Banks’ presence and performance all the more crucial.
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said Banks has responded well in practice this week, but the real test will come under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. As Bowen put it: “We’ll see. We’ll see come Monday.”
For Deonte Banks and the Giants’ defense, the microscope is focused squarely on them. Will the talented young cornerback rise to the occasion, put his lapses behind him, and become the lockdown defender the Giants envisioned when they drafted him? Or will questionable effort continue to dog him, hindering both his own development and the Giants’ defensive aspirations?
Monday night’s performance may go a long way in providing those answers, as Banks looks to silence his critics and prove that his best effort will be a constant from here on out. The Giants’ defensive success may depend on it.
