Since entering the league two years ago, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been targeted by defenses because he rubs them the wrong way and they know they can easily get into his head. On Sunday, NFL fans will be trying to make a little cash with NFL betting odds, one thing they can count on this weekend is that Beckham will lose his temper at least once in their game against the Los Angeles Rams, which will take place in London on Sunday.
When the Giants played the Rams two seasons ago, Beckham was the victim of some cheap shots, and the receiver is expecting more of the same treatment this week against a team he believes is one of the dirtiest in the NFL.
Beckham will also expect the Rams defenders to try and get into his head because they have seen other defenses use the tactic to get him off his game successfully. The fact that Greg Williams, who was the New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator during the Bountygate scandal, is coaching the Rams defense, also means that Beckham should be ready for a really physical game.
While he didn’t say outright that the Rams were dirty, Giants guard Justin Pugh said if you look at the team on tape, you will see that they do make some dirty plays on the field.
Pugh added that the last game between the two teams, in which Alex Ogletree body slammed Beckham, was one of the most intense games he has ever played in.
This game couldn’t have come at a worse time for Beckham, who was still receiving treatment on his injured hip on Wednesday. With the way the Rams have been playing on defense this season, Beckham’s hip won’t be the only thing that’s sore by the time the game is over.
When Ogletree slammed Beckham to the ground in their last meeting, Pugh said all hell broke loose on the sidelines and he was about to join in the fight when former Rams defensive lineman Chris Long pulled him back and told him not join if he didn’t want to get fined by the league.
Giants’ cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who signed with the team during the offseason, said that when he met Beckham in the locker room, the brawl was the first thing the receiver brought up. Jenkins added that Beckham didn’t have any animosity towards him for his role in the fight and called him a great teammate.
Despite the physicality in the game between the Rams and Giants back then, and the numerous attempts to try to get into his head, Beckham finished the game with 8 catches, 148 yards, and 2 touchdowns.
Since the strategy to knock Beckham out of the game by being physical didn’t work out very well for the Rams, it will be interesting to see if they use the same strategy this time or if they decide to simply double team him and hope for the best.
One thing is for sure, at 3-3, neither team can afford a loss here if they want to keep their hopes of staying in the playoff race alive, which should make this a very interesting game.
