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By Aman Sharma
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Nico Collins entered Week 7 with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons on his resume, and Deonte Banks still held him to almost nothing.
The New York Giants cornerback trailed the Houston Texans’ top wide receiver across the field during a 27-21 victory in overtime at Reliant Stadium on Oct. 25. Collins managed 6 yards on two receptions, according to the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard.
The 25-year-old pointed to the coaching staff when explaining how he locked up a two-time Pro Bowler.
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“They let me be aggressive, be who I am,” Banks said. “I just try to keep going, keep getting better every snap."
Drawing the Collins assignment, Banks said, “felt great.”
“It’s a great thing. Because they trust me to follow their number one,” he added.
His own grade came with a caveat.
“I think I did pretty good, besides some of my tackles,” Banks said, admitting he “was missing tackles.”
Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud threw at Banks four times in that matchup, each into tight coverage, the second-highest such count of his career against a single receiver.
Two pass breakups also went on his ledger, lifting his season total to 10 through five games.
Trust wasn’t always there. Former defensive coordinator Shane Bowen leaned on zone looks that didn’t fit Banks, and the cornerback conceded more than once that his effort had slipped on some snaps.
John Harbaugh’s arrival as head coach this offseason brought in defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, who went back to the man coverage Banks played well in as a 2023 rookie under Don “Wink” Martindale.
For a first-round pick once labeled a likely bust, the turnaround is hard to ignore. If the coverage numbers hold, the job of trailing an opponent’s best wideout figures to stay with Banks well beyond Week 7.
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