LAS VEGAS — The most maligned player on the Giants roster made the biggest play of the game for them in Sunday’s 34-10 win over the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.
Deonte Banks, the team’s third-year cornerback, has spent more time in the doghouse, being benched and criticized, than he has basking in the success the Giants had planned for him when they drafted him.
The Raiders had just cut the Giants lead to 20-10 in the third quarter and the touchdown that shaved into the lead was Banks’ fault.
He was late to follow Raiders receiver Tyler Lockett toward the back of the end zone and Geno Smith played pitch-and-catch with his receiver.
On the ensuing kickoff, Banks made everyone forget about his coverage gaffe when he took it 95 yards to the house for a TD and a much more comfortable 27-10 lead with 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter. “It was a 14-play drive and these guys were defending every blade of grass that they could,’’ Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka said. “Geno made a nice play on the scramble to find [Lockett]. And Tae just kind of put that play behind him and then attacked the next play, and made a huge one for us.
“He had the ability there to kind of shut [the TD play] out mentally and really put a stamp on the game for himself. That was a huge play in the game. I can’t understate how big that play was for us.’’ Banks’ teammates were so fired up for him, the Giants drew a penalty for their celebration in the end zone after the TD.
“It’s just great to see him have some success,’’ edge rusher Brian Burns said. “Tae is an unbelievable athlete, a great player. It was great that so many guys shared that joyful moment with him when he returned that thing 95 yards.’’ Linebacker Bobby Okereke praised Banks — who was starting only because Cor’Dale Flott was out with a knee injury — for his play on defense.
“I thought Tae played extremely well all day, especially in coverage,’’ Okereke said. “He was isolated a lot in our cover-nine coverages and he came up and made some big open-field tackles.
“And then, to come back and respond after that long drive on defense and really just give the team the juice … that’s the type of player he is and that’s what we expect from him.’’
The win for the Giants was the first for Kafka as a head coach after losing his first five after being elevated.
“It felt great, Kaf in here passing out game balls to certain guys,’’ WR Wan’Dale Robinson said.
Robinson said game balls were given out to him, S Dane Belton, who had an INT in the second half, edge rusher Burns, who had 1.5 sacks, LB Okereke, who had a huge INT in the first quarter that led to a TD.
“And we gave one to Kaf for his first win,’’ Robinson said. “He puts in a lot of time and effort especially on the offensive side of the ball making sure we’re in the right position and he probably felt last week [in the loss to Minnesota] he didn’t do his best job.
“But this week, he came in with a really good plan. We love playing for him. He’s going to do everything he can for us so why not go out there and give everything I got for him?’’
Kafka refused to soak in any attention on his win, pushing it toward the players.
“I’m just really excited about the guys, because that’s really who I’m thinking about,’’ Kafka said.
Giants rookie LB Abdul Carter continues his strong push to the end of the season. Carter, who’d been punished twice this season for being late to meetings, had a big first half Sunday. He shared a sack with Burns, dropped Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty for a 10-yard loss on a run and drew a holding penalty that nullified a Raiders first-down pass play.
Burns continues to show himself as the best player on the Giants, adding to his career-high sack totals with 1.5 more takedowns Sunday to give him 16.5 sacks this season.… Giants DT Darius Alexander had a sack in the second half. … Belton, who started for the injured Tyler Nubin (out for the season with a neck injury), picked off a Smith pass in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory with the Giants leading 27-10.
The Giants defense did a strong job defending Raiders rookie RB Ashton Jeanty, who entered the game leading the team with 828 rushing yards and five TDs. Jeanty was held to just 16 yards on 7 carries in the first half and finished with 16 for 60.
For all of their issues at the kicking position this season, Ben Sauls, their fourth at the position in 16 games, had a strong day.
He kicked field goals of 32 and 23 yards and he made a 47-yard PAT after the Giants were called for unsportsmanlike conduct celebrating the Banks kickoff return for a TD.
The Giants lost S Jevón Holland to a knee injury on the opening kickoff of the second half while in kick coverage. He didn’t return. They played the game down two starters on the offensive line with LT Andrew Thomas and C John Michael Schmitz Jr. having been placed on season-ending IR.
Thomas was replaced by rookie fifth-round draft pick Marcus Mbow and Schmitz was replaced by Austin Schlottmann.
