Former New York Giants linebacker Carl Banks called the Giants' performance against the Carolina Panthers "truly a disaster" on Monday -- and he was only getting started.
"I think aside from the Xs and Os, I think the most disturbing aspect of it is, in all my years being around this team -- and they’ve had some bad losses, they’ve had some highs and lows and some good teams and bad teams -- but I don’t think I've ever seen a team just not show emotion, as they were just getting pummeled," Banks said, in an appearance on WFAN-AM 660. "I don’t advocate fighting, but show some emotion -- show that you care that your quarterback was sacked six times in the first quarter. Show me -- push a guy, tackle a guy, do something other than just take it."
Banks, a former All-Pro who now serves as an analyst on the team's radio broadcasts, wasn't done there.
"They showed very little toughness at all," Banks continued, "and just the pride that you have to have. And not letting guys just punch you in the mouth, you get up, you let 'em punch you in the mouth again, and they just do it until the game is over with. I mean the game was over, [the Panthers] were still banging Giants, receivers getting knocked all over the place, and there’s not one guy that showed emotion, and that’s scary. That really is scary."
When asked how this kind of performance, and lack of emotion, could happen, Banks unleashed further criticism.
"Well, they don’t like themselves, that’s what it really comes down to," Banks said. "They don’t like each other, they’re not willing to fight for each other. When you have a premier quarterback in this league, and you don’t have enough self-respect -- not for him, but for yourself -- to protect him and do your job, I think it speaks volumes. And I think these guys really do need to all stand in (front of) the mirror, and it’s gut-check time."
At least one players agreed with Banks -- fellow linebacker Mark Herzlich.
"That’s what happened. They kept hitting us, hitting us and hitting us and we didn’t stop them," Herzlich said. "Carl’s right, we need to have more passion, we need to have that fire."