Beckham prediction: One down, seven to go
The Giants have only seven more wins to go before Odell Beckham Jr. becomes a bona f ide prophet.
The wide receiver raised some eyebrows last week when he said he believed the Giants could win out and finish the season 9-7 with a shot at the playoffs. Then they went to San Francisco and beat the 49ers, completing the first step of Beckham’s vision.
“When I said it, I heard a lot of chuckles and all that stuff,” Beckham said Thursday. “But it’s only crazy until you do it. That’s just the way it is. One down, we got seven left.”
Beckham played a big hand in getting the Giants one-eighth of the way there, catching four passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns, doubling his season total in visits to the end zone. He thought it was just an “average game” — seemingly lamenting the idea he could have done more damage with 11 targets — but he was happy to settle for the win.
The next challenge comes Sunday against the Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium. There are stiffer tests ahead — like the Bears, Titans and another trip through the NFC East — but Beckham is standing firm in his faith.
“I don’t know what would make me not believe it,” he said. “That’s just the goal. Same thing I said before the season: The goal is to win a Super Bowl. It’s always going to be to win a Super Bowl. If you’re just here to have fun or whatever else, I don’t think you should be here. The goal is to win every game. If we play 16, I’m trying to win 16. Win the four in the playoffs, win the Super Bowl. You never want to lose.
“My mentality is going to be to win these last seven games, no matter who believes it or what’s said, anything like that.”
Coming off the best game of his NFL career, rookie linebacker Lorenzo Carter elicited a timely comparison Thursday.
“He kind of reminds me of JPP a little bit,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said.
Jason Pierre-Paul will come to MetLife on Sunday on the opposite sideline, but Carter’s rise has the Giants hopeful. He is second on the team with 186 special teams snaps, but posted three more tackles for loss on defense Monday night.
“He’s 6-[ foot]- 5, 250 pounds and he runs 4.4,” McGaughey said. “He’s a big talented guy. How many of those do you want? I want 11 of them.”
Veteran RB Jonathan Stewart (foot) was back at practice Thursday for the first time since going on i njured reserve in Week 4. The Giants changed his status to designated for return/return to practice and have three weeks to add him to the active roster.
The only four Giants listed on the injury report — CB Antonio Hamilton (hip), LB Alec Ogletree (rib), FB Eli Penny (back) and S Curtis Riley (shoulder) — were all full participants.