The New York Giants’ defense rose to the occasion in Week 5 to help secure a clutch win over the Seattle Seahawks. Among the standout performers was second-year cornerback Deonte Banks, who had a tremendous performance while lined up against one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in D.K. Metcalf. Banks turned in his best game of the season, bouncing back from a recent cold stretch and quieting his haters.
Deonte Banks had a stellar bounce-back performance against the Seahawks
The Giants had to face a Seahawks offense loaded with talent in Week 5, posing a difficult matchup for Banks, who had been struggling so far this season. But Banks bounced back and quieted his critics with his performance against Seattle.
Banks recorded six total tackles in Week 5, the second-most on the team. He also added a game-high three pass defenses and one forced fumble. His forced fumble was a particularly impressive play, punching the ball loose from Metcalf during a pivotal moment in the contest.
According to Pro Football Focus’s live in-game grading, Banks posted an 89.9 overall PFF Grade in the contest with a 91.2 coverage grade. PFF charted him with two receptions surrendered on five targets for only 17 yards against him in coverage.
Banks played at a CB1 level in Week 5. He looked the part of an elite cover man and quieted the chatter that had been surrounding him for the past few weeks. But finding consistency and making performances like this a regular occurrence will be the next step for the 23-year-old cornerback.
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The Giants need Banks to keep playing at a high level
Banks has been through a gauntlet so far this season. He kicked off the year matching up against three-time Pro Bowler Justin Jefferson in Week 1 against the Vikings. Then he faced Pro Bowl wideout Terry McLaurin in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders. His Week 3 performance against five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper and the Cleveland Browns was particularly concerning. Then his poor performance against three-time Pro Bowler CeeDee Lamb in the Giants’ Week 4 loss against the Dallas Cowboys felt like things were getting out of hand for Banks.
But this Week 5 outing against D.K. Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, felt like a statement for Banks. Going into this matchup, there was a lot of discourse surrounding Banks and his inability to make plays on the ball. Metcalf, being one of the best contested-catch receivers in the NFL, had a clear matchup advantage in the eyes of the fans. However, Banks rebuffed that narrative, played tight coverage on Metcalf and the rest of the Seahawks’ weapons, and utilized his physicality to make several plays on the ball in Week 5.
Banks looked every bit of the shutdown CB1 that the Giants thought they were drafting when they selected him with the 25th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Now the Giants need him to compound this performance and stack solid outings together on a week-by-week basis.
