Carl Banks: The 'scary' Giants 'don't like each other'

After what was virtually a 60-minute beat down of the New York Giants by the Carolina Panthers Sunday, one former Giants great called the team "scary."  And not in a good way.

Former Giants linebacker Carl Banks, a part of the Giants' radio broadcast team, spoke with WFAN on Monday and didn’t hold back when reflecting on what he saw while Big Blue was embarrassed in Charlotte, losing to the Panthers, 38-0.

"They were banging Giants, receivers getting knocked all over the place, and there’s not one guy that showed emotion," he said.  "And that’s scary. That really is scary."

But Banks didn't stop there and thinks New York’s problems might run deeper than just a lack of talent.

"They don’t like themselves," the two-time Super Bowl champion said. "That’s what it really comes down to. 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 to do your job, I think it speaks volumes. I think these guys really do need to all stand in (front of) the mirror, and it’s gut-check time."

The Giants (0-3) have now been outscored 115-54 in the first three games of the season. It doesn’t get any easier from here, as Tom Coughlin’s squad will head to Kansas City this weekend to take on the undefeated Chiefs after the worst loss of the Coughlin era.

"I have a pretty good idea of what type of coach Tom Coughlin is, and what he expects of his guys, but he doesn’t play," Banks said. "And if they don’t have enough pride as men … And you can hate your coach, and never want to play this bad ever again. If you don’t have enough pride to stand up and do something … I don’t think I’ve seen a collective group just line up and get punched in the face, and stand up and do it again and again and again."

"I think the most disturbing aspect of it is … in all my years of being around the team, they’ve had some bad losses," Banks told WFAN co-hosts Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts. "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 … I don’t advocate fighting, but show some emotion."

The final stats say it all.  The offensive line couldn’t protect Eli Manning, who completed 12 of 23 passes for 119 yards and threw an interception. He was also sacked seven times for 45 yards. The defense was equally as ineffective, surrendering 402 total yards and five touchdowns.

Not exactly Giants football — at least how Banks remembers it.

Tom Coughlin's younger brother dies unexpectedly

Tom Coughlin will be heading to Carolina with with a heavy heart this weekend as he continues to mourn the loss of his younger brother, John, who died suddenly on Monday at Hackensack Medical Center.

John Coughlin, 63, was born in Waterloo, N.Y. but has lived in New Jersey for the past 20 years. He was a horse trainer, owning and operating Coughlin’s Stables at the Meadowlands Racetrack, located just a few yards from the Quest Diagnostic Performance Center outside MetLife Stadium.

“Our family is thankful for the expressions of sympathy and prayers for our brother John’s passing,” Coughlin said in a statement. “We appreciate them. John was a friend to all. He loved life and will be greatly missed. He left us way too soon.”

The reason for the death as explained by the Newark Star-Ledger was that the younger Coughlin spent Sunday tailgating with friends and then attending the game between the Broncos and the Giants. After the game John Coughlin had arrived at his Hackensack, N.J. apartment via taxi, and tripped and fell after he had just paid his cab fare. He suffered a head injury and brain swelling.  The next morning, Tom Coughlin learned that his brother was on life support.

Coughlin spent much of Monday with his brother at the Hackensack Medical Center. He worked with the team through morning meetings, then left shortly thereafter, canceling his normal Monday press conference to return to Hackensack Medical. John Coughlin passed away later that night.

The coach still returned to the team on Wednesday, though, and he plans to stay with the team this week and coach on Sunday against the Panthers. He was his usual fiery self during his Wednesday press conference as well, but he is also coaching with a grieving heart.

You can bet they'll be a win one for coach speech before Sunday's game.