WR Odell Beckham Jr.
September 14, 2016
Q: Are you thinking shootout when you play a team like the Saints?
A: I think it goes with any game. Offense has to score points. When you face a quarterback like Drew Brees, I don’t know what his average is but it seems like it would be 40 points a game or something very high. You know the offense is going to have to be productive at some point. We put a lot of trust in that defense. We go against them every single day. It’s tough every single day. I know that it’s not going to be easy for them to come out and willingly throw the ball around and run the ball. It definitely will be a challenge for them.
Q: Win the game in Dallas last week. This week, home opener, how nice would it be to get a win in front of your home fans?
A: It’s nice to win every game. First home opener, last home game. Winning is winning. That’s what we want to do. We want to continue to win and continue to get better. Continue to build. We have a tough challenge ahead of us.
Q: Is it meaningful to get that first win with the way you did it? Last year there were so many close games decided by a field goal?
A: As an offensive player, it’s not fun being on the sideline and having to sit back and watch. You obviously trust in those guys to do their job, perform and make the plays that needed to be made, which they did. In so many situations last year we found ourselves in position for the exact same thing. It’s not something that I plan on doing as we move forward. I would love for us to be able to stay on the field, get the first down and end the game. Don’t even put the defense back on the field. Give them no opportunity to make the game a nail biter, have my blood pressure all the way up, anxiety out the roof. Just finish it as an offense. Finish the game and be able to end it in victory formation.
Q: Odell, what do you see from the Saints cornerbacks?
A: I haven’t gotten to see much. I know going up against Breaux last year, it was definitely a challenge. I think he was an underrated player. A guy whose heart can’t really be measured. A guy who came back from everything that he had. He had skill to go with it. It’s unfortunate that he’s out right now. Knowing that they have some younger guys at corner, we have to look more into the film and find reps that they’ve played. Know what their weaknesses and what their strengths are. You scout report for them just as well.
Q: What do you know about B.J. Williams?
A: Honestly, we haven’t gotten too much into the game tape today. We were just installing our offense. We will look more into film this week.
Q: Because Breaux is out and Williams only has one career game, is this a big opportunity for the passing game?
A: It’s a big opportunity for the Giants. Period. It’s a chance to improve, win games, be 2-0 and like I said, get better on offense. Running the ball, passing or whatever the case may be.
Q: Are you excited about the prospects of this offense overall?
A: Absolutely. Like I said in preseason, we didn’t look great, so to say. You come out the first game and the offenses were productive. We score in the red zone and we do things that we wouldn’t have done last year. It just goes with the practice. The time and stuff that we put in. It’s all going to come together at some point. Like I was saying back at preseason, I wasn’t so much worried when we were struggling on the offense. Things take time to mold and gel. Looking towards the season, it’s going to be a tough time for defenses to cover. Not only cover to stop the run game. Once you get the run game and you’re passing the ball efficiently, it’s going to be pretty tough.
Q: When you see Victor come back and do what he did and you see Sterling do what he did, it really helps open things up for you. Are you excited?
A: Vice versa. Vice versa. You’re not going to be able to do the doubling or the over the tops because then you’re susceptible to one on one’s. Those are guys that I would take 9.99999 times out of 10. There may be something that happens, timing may be off and we may not get it right but they’re going to win on man coverage. I’m going to try my best to win on man coverage. It’s just about being efficient. Being all on the same page.
Q: What did you see from Sterling in his debut?
A: What did you see? I know what I saw. I think he’s going to be a phenomenal player. Catch everything that comes his way. He’ll go up and get it. Just looking forward to seeing him progress.
Q: How wild was that game last year and what you went through down in New Orleans? Do you expect the same type of high-scoring game this year?
A: I have no idea. I wouldn’t expect it to be that high scoring with this defense that we have. Just from going up against them every single day, it’s not easy to come out with seven points every single time. You make a team kick four field goals, and you get one touchdown and we’ve only scored three touchdowns in the red zone, that’s not demoralizing but it’s frustrating for another team. They’ve had five opportunities to score and they only come up with field goals and they end up losing by a point. One of them could’ve been a touchdown and that would’ve been the difference in the game. It’s tough. It’s going to be tough for teams to put up numbers like they did in this defense.
Q: With this offense, do you feel that if you get into a shootout with anyone that you can hang in that type of game?
A: Yes. If it has to go down to that. Guns blazing. No, I’m playing.
Q: You guys lost the game last year but was that about as unstoppable as a Giants player the way the offense felt?
A: Yes. I feel like it was since they scored, we had to score. Then they scored again, so alright we have to score. Then they scored and we didn’t score. It was just back and forth. It was the pressure that we’re competing with the offense. The thing about that is that this year is a different defense. It’s a different mentality. I don’t see 49 points being put up. I would be shocked if 49 points got put up.
Q: 52?
A: 52, my bad.
Q: If given your choice, would you rather have film and know things on guys that you’re going to face or do you just have to be ready for everything and anything?
A: You just have to be ready for anything. You never know what they’re going to throw at you. Yes, you would love to know the answers to the test before you take it, but that’s usually not the case. That’s why you study and prepare for it. Come test, time you do the best that you can.
Q: In general, are there things an experienced receiver can do against an inexperienced corner?
A: I think that goes for any position. If you’re inexperienced and someone else has more experience, they may be in favor. It’s all about making plays. At the end of the day, if it was a 10-year receiver going against a rookie cornerback, it doesn’t matter if he’s out there making plays. It’s just about who wants it more.
Q: With a guy like Williams, do you go back and watch his college tape?
A: Yes, you have to. You have to go back and watch that. You have to watch whatever was done in preseason. Just find anything that you can. Find tendencies. Also, we have a great job in Esco, one of the assistant wide receiver coaches. He does a great job of finding the tips and the notes on DB’s.
Q: Do you find that rookie corners use their hands a little too much?
A: It happens. It’s the same game, but it’s different. You come to the NFL and as much as people are like there’s no difference, there’s a difference. There’s speed, there’s things that you can’t do. Sometimes, I remember when Eli (Apple) came in, he was a little more handsy. That’s just how he played in college. That’s what he did. Once you learn how to adjust and know what you can and can’t do, you end up working it out.
Q: Were you surprised with how much you played three-wide in that game?
A: No. I wasn’t so surprised. I know Will Tye was a little sick before the game. I remember being on the bus and he was asleep. He was not feeling good. I know our tight ends were a little nicked up, I think. It just so happened.
