The New York Giants have had a great run in the past NFL season, with breakout rookie Odell Beckham, Jr garnering the attention and respect of the entire NFL community. Exhibiting his flawless stance and agility, the New York Giants wide receiver stunned the NFL fans and followers with a one-handed catch during a game against the Dallas Cowboys roughly 10 months ago. His spectacular performance practically cemented Odell Beckham Jr.'s name in the list of most notable NFL stars in history.
As the second year of his NFL career commences, fans and followers of Odell Beckham, Jr are speculating on whether or not the New York Giants star will be able to top or at the very least, equal his performance in the past NFL season. Dubbed as the potential true LeBron James of the NFL, a title once claimed by Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson, Odell Beckham, Jr is under tremendous pressure to live up to the hype of his presence in the New York Giants roster. With the element of surprise in his performance in the field clearly diminished since more tapes and videos of his gameplay are now readily available to opposing NFL teams, the New York Giants star need to find other ways to impress the football community.
According to NBC analysts and former safety for the New England Patriots, Rodney Harrison, intimidating the second-year NFL star during matches might become a go-to strategy for some teams. "[Beckham] admitted on television he has problems with the press and that's what teams are going to do," predicted Harrison in an interview with NJ.com. The former New England Patriots star went on to say, "I want to see what happens when defensive coordinators come into the game and say, 'This is the one guy that we're going to beat up. Safeties, when you get a shot, hit him, frustrate him, push him, shove him, do everything you can do get in his head.' I want to see how he reacts after four or five games if he doesn't have 25-30 catches and see what kind of character he has."
While the press and intimidation tactics might boggle Odell Beckham, Jr's plays, it remains to be seen if these will be effective enough to break down his concentration. Harrison pointed out in the same interview that the New York Giants gravitate towards Odell Beckham, Jr due to his "energy and pizzazz" - two things that eventually inject strength and determination in the NFL team.
Meanwhile, the presence of Odell Beckham, Jr in the New York Giants locker room has managed to boost the confidence of Eli Manning in terms of landing a spot in the playoffs this NFL season - a feat the team have yet to accomplish since doing so in 2011. According to The Times-Picayune, New York Giants star Eli Manning looks forward to a more eventful year with Odell Beckham, Jr and hopes that the sophomore year of the widely acclaimed NFL wide receiver will not be ridden with injuries and health issues.
