O'QUELL YOUR FEARS
ODELL Beckham Jr. was limited in practice Wednesday, and it remains uncertain if the Giants wide receiver will be available for Sunday’s game against the Titans at the Meadowlands.
That news probably doesn’t trigger as much fear as it might have this time last week, when hearts raced and palms began to sweat when it was learned Beckham wouldn’t play against the Redskins because of a quad injury. The news was bordering on catastrophic. But after a 40-16 roasting of Washington at FedEx Field, the Giants have learned they can win without Beckham, which is one of those baby steps toward changing a franchise that was once so dependent on one guy.
“Teams beat teams,” Giants coach Pat Shurmur said, repeating a theme he preached heading into what became his team’s best performance of the season. “At this time of year, I’ll bet there are no teams that are playing with their initial rosters. Team beat teams, and that’s where guys step up and make an impact in the game in and around injuries.”
That’s what good teams do. The Giants are trying to become a good team. Shurmur is hoping Beckham will be ready for Sunday’s game. “We’ll know more as the week goes on,” the coach said.
Great, if Beckham plays. That still doesn’t minimize what happened last Sunday when a number of other receivers responded when called to duty in Beckham’s absence. Tight end Evan Engram, who has battled drops and injuries, caught three balls for 77 yards. Corey Coleman turned the two passes thrown his way into 43 yards, and the two Shepards — Sterling and Russell — each caught a touchdown pass.
Bennie Fowler, listed as the thirdstringer behind Beckham, contributed with a 6-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Eli Manning to make it 31-0 in the second quarter. Add in 170 yards rushing from Saquon Barkley, and Beckham was barely missed.
That wasn’t the case a year ago when Beckham’s season ended with a broken ankle in Week 5 against the Chargers. The Giants lost their fifth straight game; they lost their best player; and they lost hope. They finished 3-13 without scoring 30 points in a game all season.
Since his arrival in 2014, there have been times when Beckham has seemed to be the whole team. The Giants were explosive when he was on the field, toothless when he wasn’t. Shurmur doesn’t want it to be that way anymore.
Beckham and safety Landon Collins, who is out for the season after shoulder surgery, are two of the Giants’ top three players. But despite the adversity of their absences, the Giants put together one of their best games of the season.
“That was the result of good preparation and then performing well,” Shurmur said. “The message to the team is, ‘We want that again.’ In order, to get that again we’ve got to make today the best day possible, tomorrow and so on and then on Sunday. That doesn’t guarantee it’s going to happen again. We’ve got to go out and play well again. That’s where the learning comes in.”
The Giants gained 402 yards of offense without Beckham, who probably would have enjoyed a record-breaking day, as poorly as the Redskins played. Yardage fig-
ures to be much tougher to come by against the 7-6 Titans, who have won two straight games and four of their past six to stay in playoff contention.
The 5-8 Giants have their own momentum, having won four of their past five. They’ve also won without Beckham, which is something they knew they couldn’t do last year. But now they have Barkley and a group of opportunistic receivers. That bodes well for the rest of this season and the future.
“We have guys who’ve been here and guys that know what they’re doing and you trust,” Manning said. “I feel comfortable with all the guys out there.”
Make no mistake: The Giants hope Beckham will be ready for Sunday’s game. But they won’t panic if he’s not.
Two hours after Giants coach Pat Shurmur said Odell Beckham Jr. would not take part in Wednesday’s practice, the star receiver was on the turf inside the field house, trying to stretch out and loosen up the bruised quad muscle that kept him out of last Sunday’s 40-16 victory over the Redskins.
Beckham participated in the pre-practice stretch, showing no ill effects of the injury. He was able to run — more like jog — a few routes and catch a few passes in some individual drills before moving off to the side to work by himself. He later went inside for treatment. The Giants officially listed him as a limited participant.
Earlier in the day, Shurmur said, “Odell will not be participating in practice. He was out there in the walkthrough moving around, he won’t be in practice.’’
Beckham was a full-par- ticipant in practice last week until he showed up Friday on the injury report and was listed that day as working on a limited basis. Shurmur said the quad issue had been lingering since Beckham got leg-whipped on the final play of 25-22 loss to the Eagles on Nov. 25. Beckham did not appear hampered the following week, throwing and catching touchdown passes in a victory over the Bears.
“I think he’s getting better each day,’’ Shurmur said. “Again, we’ll know more as the week goes on. And I encourage our players not to talk about their injuries, so hopefully that’s about all you’ll get out of it.”
LT Nate Solder spent the first seven years of his NFL career with the Patriots and never lost a game the way his former team blew it last Sunday at Miami. The Dolphins scored on a last-second, double-lateral desperation 69-yard touchdown miracle after Bill Belichick seemingly had the wrong personnel (including tight end Rob Gronkowski) on the field, anticipating a Hail Mary pass.
“It was crazy, wasn’t it?’’ Solder said. “I couldn’t believe it. They’ll talk about that for the next 10 years, probably. I was shocked.’’
Safety Landon Collins underwent shoulder surgery Tuesday to repair a partially torn labrum. Shurmur said the surgery “went well.’’ ... DT Woodrow Hamilton was signed to the practice squad. He has NFL experience with the Patriots and Saints.
TE Rhett Ellison (ankle) did not practice. … Safety Curtis Riley (wrist) was a full participant.