When the New York Giants most needed a stop on Sunday afternoon, their defense failed to deliver — again.
The ending of the Giants’ Week 7 loss to the Denver Broncos was all-too reminiscent of their Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. A blown lead marked by poor defensive play in the fourth quarter, surrendering the game to a hungry offense.
Coinciding with the Giants’ fourth-quarter 33-point collaps was the absence of two key members of their secondary: S Jevon Holland and CB Paulson Adebo.
Filling in for Adebo was former 2023 first-round pick Deonte Banks, who had lost his starting job this season after a string of poor performances dating back to last year.
In his small portion of playing time against the Broncos, Banks quickly reminded everyone why he was removed from the starting lineup.
The Broncos picked on Deonte Banks in the clutch
Banks was a liability in coverage during that fourth quarter failure against the Broncos.
According to NextGen Stats, Banks was on the field for 27 coverage snaps. Across those 27 snaps, Banks was targeted in coverage four times, surrendering three receptions for 40 yards and one touchdown (albeit, the touchdown was an unlucky deflected pass) (h/t Jordan Raanan of ESPN).
The biggest flaw in Banks’s game has always been his inability to get his head turned around in coverage and defend contested catches. That weakness was once again on full display.
With 18 seconds left in the game and with the Broncos knocking on the doorstep of field goal range, QB Bo Nix threw a back-shoulder pass to WR Courtland Sutton down the left sideline. Banks played tight coverage but failed to play the ball, surrendering a 22-yard reception that put the Broncos in field goal range and set up Will Lutz for a game-winning 39-yarder.
The Giants have a liability in their secondary
Banks was asked about that crucial moment after the game and gave a somewhat confusing response.
“I got picked on (this) play. That was a great play by Sutton. Other than that, I feel like (my play) was OK,” Banks said, per Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post.
While he is right, it was a great play by Sutton, Banks’s consistent inability to prevent such receptions from occurring has been damning and has rendered him borderline unplayable.
The Broncos did pick on Banks yesterday. He was a liability in the secondary, as he has been frequently in the past. It is a severe issue the Giants need to address as soon as possible — especially if Adebo is expected to be sidelined for an extended period of time.