How this NY Giants comeback star shut down one of the NFL's best

HOUSTON - Deonte Banks had yet to even look at the box score.

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This was completely the opposite from the post-game scene three weeks ago when the New York Giants cornerback left MetLife Stadium in a frenzy when his walk-off Pick 6 of Jacoby Brissett sealed the Oct. 4 victory over the Cardinals.

In that celebration, Banks could not stop scrolling on his cell phone through videos of his game-winning interception, when he undercut a fourth-down throw from Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett at the goal line, stepping in front of receiver Michael Wilson and bringing back his INT 98 yards in seven exhilarating seconds for a touchdown.

There was no denying Banks' heroics because he put it on the highlight reel for everyone to see.

His performance in Sunday's 27-21 overtime victory over the Houston Texans was different, yet undoubtedly even more impressive. He traveled with Texans star wide receiver Nico Collins and shut him down because - well, because he is good enough to do that, and it's exactly what he did.

"Real good matchup, Nico is a great receiver, so," Banks voice trailed off, cracking a smile when a teammate repeated a suggestion from NorthJersey.com and The Record that "Banks are closed on Sundays," harkening back to a statement about his ability to blanket receivers from his rookie season that, truth be told, was more hope at the time than reality. "I had to have great eyes every snap, every play and just kept going. I don't know if that was my best game, I'm just going out there playing football and focused on one snap at a time. That's really it."

Collins had two catches on five targets from C.J. Stroud for six yards, and his exchange with another reporter who joined the interview around Banks' locker in the Reliant Stadium visitors' locker room spoke to his mindset.

He was asked if he knew how many yards Collins had, and Banks did not. Next came an over/under: 10 yards.

"Under," Banks quipped. How did the Giants' fourth-year pro take the most daunting assignment of his career and execute to the best of his ability? It's a matter of trust.

Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson believed in Banks from the moment they sat together this spring and talked about not only his present, but his future. Why?

“He’s a Terp. I’m a Terp," Wilson told NorthJersey.com and The Record this summer. "I’ve known about the kid a long time. I know his talent. Sometimes you need people to believe in you. I know who he is.”

If no one else knew, we sure know now.

The NFL essentially gave up on Banks. The Giants did for a while and maybe Banks did for a bit, too.

That's why his reclamation journey is remarkable.

Banks continues to put the NFL on notice, rewarding the faith John Harbaugh and his coaches instilled in him by offering a clean slate, refusing to give up on talent when so much suggested they should.

When a player like the 25-year-old Banks turns in another hero moment, everybody gets to celebrate. Harbaugh has instilled belief in this team to find a way, even when everything is seemingly going against them.

Season-ending knee surgeries for Jaxson Dart and Brian Burns, the heart of the offense and the soul of the defense. That seems like forever ago. Three more defensive starters were unavailable against the Texans: inside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was placed on injured reserve, likely lost for the season with a chest injury; safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Greg Newsome, both of whom are still sidelined in concussion protocol.

These Giants (4-2-1) are standing up to the moment, even when things are not perfect. No one is scared of the pressure that comes with the moment. The mantra: "Don't be scared. Make a play" is how cornerback Dru Phillips explained to NorthJersey.com and The Record earlier this season.

Harbaugh's team is in first place in the NFC East, two games up in the loss column on the Eagles and the Cowboys, who meet on "Monday Night Football" in Philadelphia. The Giants will enter their bye week with tremendous momentum gained in quarterback J.J. McCarthy's Big Blue debut, and when their slate resumes, they face the Eagles and Commanders in a five-day span that will set the tone for the second half.

"The two most important games of the season will be coming up after we come back from the bye, which willset the direction for the rest of the season really," Harbaugh said. "But we're going to be in this thing until the end now."

Somewhere between inconsistency and fleeting confidence, the Giants' 2023 first-round pick lost his way.

Maybe it was attitude, a lack of conviction in his technique or a coaching failure within a defensive system that did not fit his talents as someone who lived and died in press man coverage.

All of that contributed to where Banks was entering this season, essentially in NFL limbo after the Giants brought in Harbaugh and cleared the decks of both the roster in its entirety and the depth chart, especially in the secondary.

No one could be certain if what we were watching from Banks was just the final days of another failed first-round pick, a countdown to the end of his time here, or the start of a reclamation project that somehow would change the trajectory - more fitting the spiral - of his career. The Giants gave him a chance to shed the bust label he was stuck with because of the way he had played for the better part of the last two years.

"Deonte was all over it. I probably should have given him a game ball," Harbaugh said Sunday. "Maybe he'll get defensive player of the game. But he was on it, man. He had so many tight coverages."

The evaluation of Banks as an asset or an afterthought played out in real time for this coaching staff, and how he fit in a secondary of opportunity. He was physical and instinctive as a rookie, too, and the raw talent - size, speed and ability to change directions - was noticeable.

Where did that player go? It's hard to say whether that player even existed anymore and the onus fell on the Giants as Harbaugh, Wilson, and position coaches Donald D'Alesio and Addison Lynch to find out.

Banks was ultimately benched in Years 2 and 3, dogged by criticism of his work ethic and an apparent refusal to engage in the run game, leading to glaring mistakes when breaking down the tape. The Giants declined his fifth-year option - there really was no other choice - so Banks' rookie contract will expire at the end of the 2026 campaign.

All of that context serves as the backdrop to one of the best comeback stories being written in the entire league.

And Deonte Banks, for all intents and purposes, has the pen. Where this goes is up to him.

"I'm just trying to keep going and keep getting better," Banks said. "That's it."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: How this NY Giants comeback star shut down one of the NFL's best

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