Banged-up Beckham toes line & can’t convert
TAMPA, Fla. — Odell Beckham Jr. fought through a dislocated finger Sunday to make a 42-yard catch on what the Giants thought was going to be their game-winning drive. Then he bounced back from a scary landing on his tender left ankle to catch what looked like a successful two-point conversion — except Beckham was whistled for stepping out of bounds before his catch and right guard D.J. Fluker was called for a hold.
The referees initially announced the Giants could re-try the attempt backed up 10 yards for Fluker’s hold, but the rule was clarified and because Beckham’s catch had been called incomplete, they received no Mulligan.
“There’s really no point in talking about it,” Beckham said. “It’s not like anything’s gonna change. We didn’t make the conversion.”
Eli Manning (30-of-49, 288 yards, two TDs), who scored earlier on a career-high 14-yard rushing TD, said the reversed call was devastating. Instead of having another chance to go up 25-22, the Giants remained up just one point with only a Bucs field goal needed to beat them.
“That’s a tough situation to feel like you’re doing some good things, have a good drive to take the lead, but obviously have a two-point conversion and get it reversed, so tough situation right there,” Manning said.
Beckham finished with seven catches for 90 yards, both team highs, but also dropped two passes for five total on the year, per Pro Football Focus. He said his finger, which “just popped out,” and his ankle both will be “all right.” But he admitted the ankle had him worried for a bit.
“It’s good, I just came down and kind of that same motion that injured it is what happened,” Beckham said. “But I came out of it fine. Just at the moment the pain you go through right then and there …. It’s something that scares you.”
Giants great Lawrence Taylor, by the way, made a brief pregame appearance on the sideline and shared an embrace and words with Beckham.
ALL ABOARD THE WAYNE TRAIN
Rookie back Wayne Gallman, nicknamed “Train” at Clemson, scored his first NFL touchdown on a 4-yard catch in his first game active, rushed 11 times for 42 yards and caught two balls for eight yards in replacement of Paul Perkins (ribs), who left early in Sunday’s third quarter.
“I was ready for my opportunity,” Gallman said. “(The feeling) was kinda like ‘OK, I just scored,’ and I just had to take a knee and give it to God because this is what I dreamed about my whole life. Ever since I even got here on the Giants I’ve wanted to play so bad, from the first game all the way to this game. And to finally get that action, I’m ready for what’s coming.”
Gallman also blasted Bucs D-lineman William Gholston on a pass block before Manning’s final TD pass. But the 6-foot, 210-pound Gallman said he wasn’t intimidated by the 6-6, 281-pound Gholston at all.
“Naw, we played Alabama twice,” he said of his Clemson national title games. “I played big dudes up front all the time.”
A WYNN IN A LOSS
Backup defensive end Kerry Wynn lined up at fullback on 3rd-and-goal from the 2 in Sunday’s fourth quarter and helped set up a touchdown, the first time Wynn has played offense, he said, since lining up at tight end for Louisa County High School in Mineral, Va.
Wynn’s pattern to the right flat helped draw three defenders outside to free up a window for Eli Manning to hit Rhett Ellison for the touchdown and a 23-22 lead.
“I mean, if he threw it my way I was ready for it,” Wynn said. “But I liked the end result with it.”
INJURY NOTES
Several other Giants suffered injuries Sunday. Defensive end Olivier Vernon aggravated his Week 3 ankle injury and did not play in the second half. Center Weston Richburg left in the third quarter with a concussion. Defensive tackle Damon Harrison played through a bruised knee. Right tackle Justin Pugh played through pain in his back after a big hit. And left tackle Ereck Flowers pushed through a late lower-body injury.
O-LINE JUGGLING
Ben McAdoo used his third different starting offensive line in four games on Sunday due to injuries, with D.J. Fluker at right guard in his first action of the season on offense and John Jerry switching to left guard on what Pugh called “short notice.” “It was musical chairs today,” Pugh said.