EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Odell Beckham Jr. reined in some of the emotions, the exaggerated behaviour, the penalties and on-field feuds. Then he did what he does best — make big plays.
A banged-up Beckham turned a short fourth-and-1 pass into a winning 66-yard catch and run with 1:24 to play Sunday as the New York Giants snapped a three-game losing streak with a stunning 27-23 victory over the hurting Baltimore Ravens (3-3).
Beckham caught eight passes for a career-best 222 yards and two touchdowns despite having to leave the field in the first half with a hip pointer in carrying the Giants (3-3) to their 700th win in franchise history.
"I am going to go out there and play the same way every time," Beckham said of his many problems on the field this season. "I don’t think I played any different besides me being injured. It was the same passing. I think because I was hurt I couldn’t express it as much as I wanted to."
That’s debatable. After catching a 75-yard scoring pass in the third quarter, Beckham imitated a triple jumper — playing off a line in a commercial in which he appears. He then went to the Giants’ sideline and smashed the kicking net with his helmet. When it flopped to the ground, he laid under it.
After his winning catch, he took off his helmet and drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
The Ravens (3-3) got to the Giants 24 in the waning seconds, thanks to a questionable roughing-the-quarterback penalty on Joe Flacco, but the Giants broke up a pass in the end zone.
The Giants were on the verge of a fourth straight loss after Terrance West scored on a 2-yard run with 2:04 to play, giving the Ravens a short-lived 23-20 lead.
West’s second short touchdown run came three plays after Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was flagged for a questionable pass interference at the New York 8.
But Beckham came through on a call Eli Manning changed at the line of scrimmage. Cornerback Tavon Young either slipped or was hurt covering him.
Ravens safety Eric Weddle said Beckham should not have gotten inside on the quick cross from right to left.
"Hey, Odell made some amazing plays, you got to credit him," Weddle said. "We held him down in the first half. We had some guys go down. The guys behind them have to step up. That’s why we’re here. We play an aggressive style defence. We man guys up. We just didn’t get it done."
Beckham did.
"He is a playmaker, he is a game changer and he did exactly that today," said linebacker Jonathan Casillas, who stopped West on fourth-and-goal from the 1 earlier in the quarter.
Flacco (26 of 48 for 307 yards) drove the Ravens to the Giants 24 in the waning seconds. But his final pass was knocked down in the end zone.
Manning (32 of 46 for 403 yards) also a threw 24-yard touchdown pass to Roger Lewis Jr . Josh Brown had field goals of 21 and 31 yards, the latter set up by a 43-yard catch by Beckham.
Justin Tucker kicked field goals of 23, 39 and 35 yards in Marty Mornhinweg’s first game as Baltimore offensive co-ordinator.
BYRD HONORED
Before the game, the Giants held a moment of silence for former Jets defensive end Dennis Byrd. The 50-year-old Byrd, who walked again after being paralyzed in a game, was killed in an automobile accident Saturday. The Giants and Jets have played in the same facility for more than three decades.
INJURIES
The Ravens came into the game without five starters: WR Steve Smith Sr., T Ronnie Stanley, G Marshal Yanda, Returner Devin Hester Sr. and LB C.J. Mosley. CB Jimmy Smith did not play in the second half because of a concussion.
DELAYS
Fans were delayed getting into MetLife Stadium because of an investigation into a fatal accident that happened around 3:30 a.m. on the major road next to the facility. It was not cleared until roughly two hours before game time.
NUMBERS
Manning’s TD pass to Lewis was the 300th of his career. The win was his 100th. His 32 completions tied for the fifth-highest total of his career. He now has completed 3,846 passes, moving him past Drew Bledsoe (3,839) and into eighth place on the NFL’s all-time list. Beckham’s 222 yards receiving were the second most in Giants history: Del Shofner had 269 yards vs. Washington on Oct. 28, 1962.
NEXT UP
In a scheduling oddity, the Ravens are back at MetLife Stadium to play the Jets next Sunday.
The Giants head to London, where they will be the visitors against the Rams in an early game on Sunday, with a 9:30 a.m. EDT kickoff.
