They say baseball is a game of redemption. They obviously never watched a football game. Going into yesterday's contest between the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals at MetLife Stadium, Deonte Banks was a man with something to prove. The beleaguered cornerback had a brutal 2025, and many thought he was certainly going to be a goner in the offseason.
But rather than cut him, John Harbaugh elected to keep him, believing his skills could be harnessed with a new defensive coordinator. Through the first three games of this season that faith had not been rewarded. Though Banks was marginally better than last season, he was still a far cry from the player the Giants thought they were getting when Joe Schoen traded up in the 2023 draft to take him with the 24th pick.
And then, just like that, a switch flipped and Banks had the game of his pro life. He broke up no less than five passes thrown by Jacoby Brissett. But it was the last three that proved to be the difference maker. With Arizona on the Giants four-yard line, and trailing by six with 22 seconds left in the game, Banks broke up passes to Michael Wilson and Trey McBride at the goal line. And then on 4th and goal, Banks jumped the route, intercepted a pass meant for Wilson and ran it all the way back 98 yards for the icing on the cake.
Final score: Giants 36-24.
On a day when Jameis Winston proved he could still throw a football in this league, the outcome came down to a goal-line stand from the unlikeliest player on the roster. Indeed, it was the second straight week that the Giants needed a defensive stop to preserve a win. What a difference a year makes. Last season both these games would've been losses. You know it and I know it.
While Banks may have earned himself a game ball, he was not the only defensive hero on the field for Big Blue. For the second game in a row Arvell Reese made his presence felt. He had nine tackles - one for a loss - and one interception. The former Ohio State phenom leads the NFL with 27 solo tackles this season. He has been everything the Giants could've hoped for when they took him with the 5th pick in the 2026 draft. It is inconceivable that two teams with defensive needs passed on him; one of those teams just happened to be the Jets.
Go figure, right?
But defense was not the only story of this game. The offense had its best showing since opening week against the Cowboys. Malik Nabers caught 6 passes for 112 yards and one touchdown. It was the first time since the loss at Dallas last season that the all-pro wide receiver cracked the 100 yard mark. And just days after the Giants acquired J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 5th round pick, Winston had arguably his best game as a Giant. The 12 year veteran threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns.
It took a while but the Giants offense finally got going late in the second quarter. Winston hooked up with Malachi Fields and Nabers to put the Jints up 19-14. In typical Winston fashion, however, he also threw two picks which led directly to 10 points for the Cardinals. You take the bad with the good with Jameis. Remember, this was the same guy who in 2019 led the league in passing yards AND interceptions. It's 50 / 50 whether the hits his own player or the opponent's.
That the Giants are 3-1 after losing both Jaxson Dart and Brian Burns is a testament to Harbaugh and his coaching staff. He simply refuses to let his players feel sorry for themselves. You can tell by their demeanor that they expect to win. And on a day when the franchise honored the 1986 championship team, the 2026 team found a way to do just that.
For the time being, New York sits alone in first place in the NFC East. They travel to Washington next Sunday to play a 1-3 Commanders team that lost at home to the Indianapolis Colts and is missing its starting quarterback Jayden Daniels and its backup Marcus Mariota both to injuries. After that, the New Orleans Saints come to MetLife. Dare I say a 5-1 start is in the offing.
I'm getting ahead of myself, you might say. Perhaps you're right. But after watching this team find new ways to lose winnable games over the last few years, maybe it's time to dream big.
After all, what have we got to lose?
