In the typical sports argument, hyperbolic statements aren’t just allowed, they’re encouraged. When two friends sit down to debate Manning-Brady, Crosby-McDavid or Trout-someone who clearly isn’t as good as Trout, accuracy and nuance can get in the way of entertainment.
Rarely do two people sit down and make measured evidence-based points in basements and on barstools around the world. That’s just not how the game is played. Instead, it’s more common to hear wild exaggerations that are truth-adjacent at best.
Upon sober second thought, most of them can be dismissed with ease, but Odell Beckham Jr. is breathing an exceedingly unrefined claim about his play to life this season. As the New York Giants sit at 10-4, the common refrain is that Beckham is literally a one-man offence dragging his team up and down the field.
Given that an offence is an immensely complex beast composed of 11 humans at any given time, it’s usually not about one guy. But sometimes it is, and right now Beckham is the Alpha and the Omega of the Giants’ attack.
On Sunday, the third-year receiver put a win away with a typically outstanding touchdown catch, his seventh in his last seven contests:
When you consider the things that the Giants offence does well, the first one that comes to mind is “throw the ball to OBJ,” and there’s no other response that’s even remotely accurate.
New York cannot move the ball on the ground. The club ranks 30th in the NFL in both rushing yards per game (81.2) and yards per carry (3.4) handing off to an over-the-hill Rashad Jennings and fifth-round rookie Paul Perkins. Only four times have they managed triple digits on the ground, and Jennings topped out at 87 yards in Week 10.
When Eli Manning drops back to pass there is a very significant split when he is throwing to Beckham or anyone else.
Receiver | Completions | Attempts | Yards | TD | INT | Yards/Attempt | Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beckham | 85 | 142 | 1173 | 10 | 2 | 8.3 | 103.9 |
Other | 237 | 366 | 2318 | 15 | 11 | 6.3 | 83.6 |
In summary, the Giants are significantly below average in every offensive phase when Beckham isn’t touching the ball. Not only is he driving the bus—he’s consistently doing it with individual efforts. Four times this season he’s taken short passes for touchdowns of 25 yards or more, including 66- and 61-yard catch-and-runs.
The 66-yarder was literally a game-winner on fourth down against the Baltimore Ravens:
The 61-yarder was his team’s only touchdown in a crucial 10–7 win over the Dallas Cowboys:
The fact that Beckham is making these plays is no surprise. His talent is undeniable and he’s likely the most explosive player in the game. In fact, by his own insane standards, you could even argue that he’s having an off-year with career lows in receptions per game, yards per game, yards per reception and catch rate.
What is astounding is how much a relatively good Giants team needs him. With a non-existent run game and a second receiver in Sterling Sheppard producing 50.5 percent of Beckham’s yardage, the squad is exactly one OBJ away from complete offensive inadequacy.
Because he’s the team’s only real threat, defences can invest an inordinate amount of time and resources into game-planning against him. That’s what makes relying on a solitary weapon such a dicey proposition. If you’re going to put all your eggs in one basket, it better be a hell of a basket.
The good news for the Giants is that even if Beckham has been slowed from the historic pace of his first two seasons he certainly hasn’t been stopped. As a result, neither have the boys in blue.