Christmas Day was a tough one for the New York Giants. They lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 33-25, making it five consecutive losses to their NFC East rivals, including the postseason. It has been more than a decade since New York won in the City of Brotherly Love, as they have lost 11 consecutive games in Philly.
A slow start on Monday afternoon is what ultimately doomed the Giants. With Tommy DeVito leading the offense, New York was able to muster only three points in the first half, as they went into halftime trailing by 17.
Tyrod Taylor was inserted into the lineup at quarterback in the second half and breathed some life into the offense. The Giants outscored the Eagles 15-0 in the third quarterback, but their comeback attempt ultimately fell short.
Credit should be given to the Giants for not laying down in the second half. They came out ready to play, motivated to end their losing streak against a division rival. While there were a few standouts in the game, one player who deserved a game ball was cornerback Deonte Banks.
The Giants selected Banks No. 24 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft and threw him right into the fire. He has started all 15 games this season and has been an integral part of their game plan. Banks has played 100 percent of the snaps in seven games and at least 90 percent in three more.
Against the Eagles, Banks was on the field for only 57 percent of the snaps but he made his presence felt. He did an excellent job defending A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who are considered one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL.
As shared by QuezIsGodly on X, formerly Twitter, Banks shut down whoever he was matched up with throughout the game. He was targeted four times, allowing three receptions for 17 yards, with a 4.25 yards per reception target and 5.66 yards per catch.
While Banks has had some rough patches as any rookie cornerback would, he has also flashed lockdown potential. The Giants look to have their No. 1 cornerback of the future as Banks is a playmaker who is improving each week. They certainly need it as the NFC East is loaded with excellent wide receivers that are difficult to slow down.
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