It was insane to expect him to do it again. But with an offseason’s worth of time to watch tape and figure out how to defend him, opposing coaches are devoting far more time, energy and manpower to stopping him.
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It’s not that he’s not playing well.
The best part about all of this? Lionel Manuel was about the best he had, and Manuel was released late in the 1990 season because of a poor attitude.
Beckham’s athleticism and balletic moves are off-the-charts compelling to watch, and his flashy catches are a few of the most incredible things to behold.
“There’s plenty of next steps, believe me”, Coughlin said of his team’s improvement. “It’s not the quarterback”.
Chris Snee and Osi Umenyiora, who filled prominent roles in the victories in Super Bowl XLII and XLVI, will enter the Giants’ Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony – along with former athletic trainer John Johnson, who is 98, and Jack Lummus, who played for the Giants in 1941 and was killed in World War II.
Beckham was targeted 12 times but caught just five passes for 38 yards, often seeming to be on a different page than Manning. The did that Sunday, in the Giants’ 24-10 win in Buffalo, when Beckham had only a sub-par five catches for 38 yards. No one quite knows what these Giants bring to the table, if they can be trusted in a game in which they are favored by a touchdown, playing at home, feeling good about themselves.
On videotape of the play, Beckham clearly threw a jab at Williams. And why wouldn’t he? His 14 touchdowns were second on that all-time list.
Asked if there was any concern about Staley not being able to play, Tomsula said: “It never reached that point”.
Beckham doesn’t seem overly concerned with his situation, but that’s to be expected. “I’m just being honest”.
Grit is great. Grit may keep your team in every game. “It doesn’t really bother me either which way”. I’m not anxious about the Bills, they’re in the past.
“Maybe, not totally”, Manning said. “I think we still got a few opportunities to get him the ball and if teams want to double him, other guys got to win and we have great confidence in them to do that”.
“It’s whatever, man”, Beckham said.
On December 8, 2014 The Pro Football Hall Of Fame put Beckham’s game worn jersey from the game of his one handed catch game on display. “I know what I’ve been given, I know my responsibilities that I have”.
There is value in that, to be sure. But let’s face it: Beckham’s real value to the Giants isn’t as a blocker and it isn’t as a decoy. But he did do enough trash talking – and punching – last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills to add another level to his reputation as a flamboyant star.
The Giants are where they were a year ago, sitting at.
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“Now he”s developing a bad-boy reputation with his big-boy production. “He’s doing a nice job blocking and being physical out there, and we expect the numbers to be there”.
