CHICAGO — He received a few words of encouragement from Markus Golden, but Corey Ballentine still looked shaken. He headed for the shower, returned to his locker inside the visitor’s locker room at Soldier Field, got dressed, took a deep breath and faced the music after a game he knew was not acceptable.
“I know games like this happen and I know I can play better than that,’’ Ballentine said after the Giants on Sunday lost to the Bears 19-14. “I’ll go out there and be better next week.’’
If the Giants were in some sort of playoff race, they might have to sit Ballentine and find another cornerback to work out of the slot as their nickel back. The Giants are 2-9 and losers of seven consecutive games. Ballentine has already replaced second-year corner Grant Haley in the lineup and it is likely the rookie sixth-round pick will continue to get snaps as a youth movement continues.
Ballentine the previous two games put together some promising plays as he was elevated to a role on defense after starting his career on special teams. His third game in a more featured role was difficult to watch.
The Bears took a 10-7 lead early in the third quarter when Allen Robinson got Ballentine all twisted around on a 32-yard touchdown pass. Ballentine caught up with Robinson a few yards short of the end zone but did not bring him down and Robinson carried Ballentine into the end zone.
“That was my first time being in that position,’’ Ballentine said. “We stress getting the ball out at practice and I saw the opportunity, I saw when he caught the ball it looked like he didn’t have a good grip on it. And I had the ball in my hand, we both had a grip on it so I was just trying to pull it out, as opposed to making the tackle. Live and learn. I think I should have instead of going for the ball I should have made the tackle.’’
There was a sequence later in the third quarter when it looked as if the Bears offensive game plan could be summed up in three words: Go After Ballentine. Whoever was lined up opposite No. 25 in white was where the ball went.
Robinson broke free on Ballentine for a 49-yard reception, easily getting the Bears out from their own 6-yard line. On the next play, Anthony Miller lined up in the slot and hauled in a 24-yard pass on Ballentine. On the next play it was Miller again on Ballentine, this time for 13 yards. All this only led to a Bears field goal, but it was clear Ballentine was a gift that kept on giving.
“Yeah, it’s one of those things as a rookie if they feel like you don’t understand or they can get at you they definitely try to pick on you,’’ linebacker Alec Ogletree said.
What it comes down to, Ballentine said, is going on the offensive even though he plays defense.
“If I adjust to everything they do they’re just gonna find something else to run at me,’’ Ballentine said. “Which is what they did today. I kept trying to adjust and they kept running different things and it just didn’t work.’’
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