Giants rookie corner Deonte Banks: ‘That’s what they got me for, to make plays like that’

The Washington Commanders tested Deonte Banks in Sunday’s second half. Terry McLaurin even beat him downfield twice.

But the Giants’ first-round rookie corner didn’t budge, bend or break. He answered.

“You know it,” Banks, 22, said with a smile at his locker after the 14-7 win. “Come on.”

McLaurin, Washington’s top receiver, beat Banks twice downfield on the same third quarter drive. He got him once for 27 yards up the right sideline, then a second time for 31 yards up the left. Safety Xavier McKinney saved a touchdown by tapping McLaurin’s helmet as he fell.

But Banks stayed ready on 3rd and 9 from the Giants’ 15 yard line. He raced through a pick across the middle to wrestle McLaurin down short of the sticks. Then Leonard Williams blocked the Commanders field goal attempt to ignite MetLife Stadium crowd.

More than his first NFL interception in Sunday’s first half, Banks’ resilience down the stretch of this victory stood out. Even with the veteran McLaurin trash-talking him when quarterback Sam Howell started attacking the rookie successfully, Banks didn’t waver.

“To me it’s a part of football,” Banks said of the banter. “It is what it is. I’m gonna go play. I ain’t really trippin’ off what nobody says to me because I’m a talker, too. So that sh-t just gives me fuel. That sh-t’s fuel to the fire.”

Banks made four third-down tackles to force Washington into two punts, a blocked field goal and a fourth down conversion. Then he held up on the Commanders’ final drive at the goal line, tackling McLaurin on a second-down screen and blanketing him for an incompletion on third.

“That’s what they got me for,” he said of his hard-nosed third down play. “They got me to make plays like that.”

Banks’ veteran teammates notice his relentless effort and already respect him for it.

“I love the way he competes,” corner Nick McCloud said. “It’s not always gonna be perfect, but at the end of the day he is competing his ass off. So I definitely appreciate him.”

They were getting on his case for not having a takeaway, though, so he was thrilled to finally get his hands on a football.

“I needed one,” Banks laughed. “All the vets have been on my ass like, ‘You need to go get one. You can’t catch!’”

Banks can catch, alright.

The former Maryland standout dropped in zone coverage and picked off a Howell pass intended for Jahan Dotson with 9:34 remaining in the second quarter. The Giants offense took over at their own 48-yard line, thanks to Banks and a Commanders personal foul penalty.

And Tyrod Taylor hit Saquon Barkley for a 32-yard touchdown and 14-0 lead two plays later.

“We were in zone coverage, and the tight end kind of chipped and went under, I believe,” Banks said of what happened on the INT. “Then the ‘three’ [receiver] ran over, so I just climbed high over by the ‘three’ and took it. I saw the route and I saw Sam, too.”

Banks knows he has plenty to work on still.

He stopped to argue with the official on McLaurin’s second deep completion rather than finishing the play, which would have allowed the receiver to get up and walk in if not for McKinney.

He had a holding penalty that gave Washington a first down early in their final drive. And he’ll probably catch heat from his coaches and teammates for carrying the football like a loaf of hot bread after his interception.

Still, Banks feels great about how he can compete on the next play, no matter what happens on the previous play.

“I told you [a few weeks ago]: I’m starting to get in my groove,” Banks said. “I’m just playing so free. It feels good.”

Most encouragingly, he loved that he had to make plays with the game on the line.

“It makes me happy,” he said giddily. “It excites me.”

BARKLEY BACKS SHEPARD AFTER BENCHING

Brian Daboll started Sterling Shepard at receiver after barely playing him through six weeks. But Daboll benched Shepard for good early in the third quarter after Shepard muffed a punt in place of injured rookie Eric Gray (calf), who had lost a punt earlier that the Giants recovered.

When Saquon Barkley was asked about the Giants’ many mistakes that nearly cost them, including Shepard’s fumble, Barkley cut off the question to say his piece on his good friend.

“With the fumble, we’re not gonna … Obviously everybody knows how I feel about Shep, but catching punts is not an easy thing to do,” Barkley said. “And that’s not his position.

“Hats off to him for going back there and just competing for us,” the running back added. “Obviously it didn’t go the way he would like it to go. But that’s a tough thing to do. And he went out there and gave his best.”

Shepard’s predicament is a result of the Giants handing the punt return job to Gray in camp despite veteran options. It’s also due to the absence of corner Adoree Jackson (neck), who missed Sunday’s game with an injury he was allowed to play through the prior Sunday in Buffalo.

The Giants likely will be working out and/or signing punt returners and maybe also running backs this week. Gray and Gary Brightwell (hamstring) both left the game with injuries, and Barkley dislocated his left elbow, although he continued playing and said he’ll be “alright.”

DABOLL HAMMERS ‘TEAM FIRST’ POINT

Daboll appeared to be sending a message to someone after Sunday’s win when he repeatedly referenced the importance of putting the “team first.”

Asked about Banks, Daboll said the rookie is on the team to help the team win and to “put the team first. Something that’s important for all of us is to put the team first, and he does that.”

In his very next answer, Daboll said that keeping a “consistent attitude” and working with “great intention” is difficult weekly, but it’s important to “focus on your job and putting the team first.”

A reporter asked Daboll what his issue was with guys who aren’t putting the team first.

“None, no, none. There’s no issue,” Daboll said. “We’ve got a bunch of guys that put the team first. I just – that’s very important to us as a program.”

The reporter followed up that Daboll’s tone had sounded different when he said those words.

“No, not at all,” Daboll said. “I’m proud of the guys. Yeah, there’s nothing like that. You misread that one.”

Strange. Maybe he wasn’t talking to his own players, but Daboll appeared to be talking to someone.

NOTES AND INJURIES

The Giants were missing a ton of injured starters on Sunday: quarterback Daniel Jones (neck), Jackson (neck), left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring), center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) and right tackles Evan Neal (ankle) and Matt Peart (shoulder). Rookie defensive tackle Jordon Riley also was a healthy scratch. Daboll had no update on Jones Monday. There will hopefully be more clarity on the Giants’ key injuries in the coming days ahead of Sunday’s game against the Jets (3-3), who are coming off their bye week … On the battered Giants offensive line, Justin Pugh started at left tackle in his second game with the team, while Marcus McKethan played left guard, Ben Bredeson remained at center, Mark Glowinski manned right guard and Tyre Phillips started at right tackle in his first opportunity since signing off the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. They allowed four sacks, four more quarterback hits on Taylor and 10 total pressures. They held up OK early but wore down a bit late. That coincided with the offense scoring 14 points in the first half and none in the second.