Giants CB Deonte Banks to start vs. Steelers despite appearing to quit on play last week

For the better part of five days, those in positions of power and accountability with the Giants have publicly expressed their disappointment with Deonte Banks’ effort on Jalen Hurts’ 16-yard scramble in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Eagles.

It appears, however, that their dissatisfaction with the second-year cornerback’s actions in the 28-3 loss will not prevent them from having him on the field against the Steelers on Monday night.

Brian Daboll announced Friday that Banks will start in Pittsburgh. This came a few minutes after defensive coordinator Shane Bowen declined to answer that question definitively three times.

“He’ll start,” Daboll said. “We’ve talked to [Deonte]. We talk to all our players and we’ll keep that in-house.”

On the first play of the fourth quarter Sunday, the Giants had the Eagles in a third-and-7 at the Giants’ 34-yard line. At the snap, the pocket collapsed and Hurts scrambled to the right side. As the quarterback ran toward the sideline, Banks slowed up and Hurts carried the ball for 5 additional yards to give the Eagles a first-and-10 at the Giants’ 18. The drive ended with Hurts’ second rushing touchdown of the game.

When asked if the incident is concerning, Bowen essentially said that playing hard is non-negotiable.

“We expect these guys every snap to play full speed to the tackle,” he said. “Making sure they’re running to the ball and doing all those things, that’s the expectation. That’s the standard we want to have here across the board. Something we [have] to continue to coach. We’ve addressed it as a coaching staff and with the unit and everybody else. Hopefully we can continue to see some progress and some growth in that regard from all our guys, too.”

Shortly thereafter, Bowen twice was asked if Banks will start and the defensive coordinator said, “He’ll be playing.” When asked directly if the coaching staff had decided whether Banks will start, Bowen said, “We’ll see where we’re at here later in the week as we get closer to it.”

It was not the first time this season that Banks has stopped on a play. He slowed to a jog on CeeDee Lamb’s 55-yard touchdown catch-and-run in the second quarter of the Giants’ 20-15 loss to the Cowboys

in Week 4.

The Maryland product disagreed with the notion that there is a similarity between the two plays.

“The Cowboys play was different,” Banks said. “Both of them were bad plays, but it was two different plays.”

How so?

“I misjudged it,” Banks said. “I thought [Hurts] was closer to [the sideline]. I misjudged it. It was a bad play by me.”

Banks acknowledged that he needed “to have a better effort” and said “it won’t happen again,” but he wasn’t worried that he could have been benched.

“It was a bad play,” he said. “One bad play.”

Notes & quotes: LB Brian Burns (groin and Achilles), OL Jermaine Eluemunor (hip), P Jamie Gillan (hamstring), DB Adoree’ Jackson (neck) and LB Ty Summers (ankle) did not practice. DB Cor’Dale Flott (groin), DB Tre Hawkins (ankle), and DL Dexter Lawrence (hip) were limited.