Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had so much to focus on against the New York Jets on Monday night at MetLife Stadium that many assumed it would save the New York Giants from more verbal barbs.
It did not.
Despite facing an 0-2 start of his own, dealing with a very real Gregg William feud and battling the referees over an obviously illegal helmet visor, Beckham took time during his postgame press conference to take yet another shot at his former team.
“I feel like I lost enough games period. I lost enough games here. So to leave this one with a win is a good feeling,” Beckham told reporters following a 23-3 victory over the Jets.
It’s all or nothing with Odell all the time. Monday night’s game was a microcosm of his entire Giants career — a beautiful one-handed catch, an explosive touchdown, an interception on a pass forced to him, a selfish act that took him out of the game at the goal line, a short temper tantrum, some bumps and bruises, a near explosion when things weren’t going his way early on and unnecessary diarrhea of the mouth after the fact.
The only things missing were a mysterious injury that keeps him out for the next four games and, of course, losing in the end — something that had become the staple of Beckham’s career with the Giants.
Giants fans will be quick to crucify their own team for trading away Beckham after watching his on-field performance, but the sad reality is that sort of production still wouldn’t be helping this team win — 23 points simply isn’t enough.
The Giants and Beckham’s critics never questioned his remarkable skill or explosive potential, they simply grew tired of accepting it as part of the whole package. And while Beckham is on top right now, we’ve seen enough from him to know he won’t stay there.
Sooner rather than later, Beckham will explode, he’ll make a careless off-field decision or he’ll suffer some bizarre injury that prevents him from playing football, but doesn’t stop him from any other activity on planet earth. And it’s at that point everyone will remember why he was traded in the first place.
