WR Odell Beckham Jr. -- November 15, 2018
Q: How much different does this week feel in comparison to previous weeks?
A: It feels amazing – just to get a win. I’ve been on a losing streak and kind of snapped that. Seven games left, same thing I said last week, we’re going to win all these games, and see what happens. That’s the goal.
Q: Looking back at the film, were there reasons for the couple of dropped passes you had?
A: I remember the first play of game. I’m like, oh, I’m about to try and take this all the way to the house, and little stuff like that. (49ers CB Richard) Sherman kind of, being the vet that he is, he knew some of the routes I was running. He knows some of the plays. So, he’s breaking before I am. As a receiver, you see the DB breaking, you’re trying to speed up because you don’t want him to get out of his break before you, or whatever it is. Not just this game, but there’s games in the past where I’ve done similar things like that, and I’ll never forget those moments. It’s something to take with, grow from. I feel like it was an average game, but at least we got the win.
Q: There was a play near the goal line where you were uncovered. Is there anything you can do differently to get the quarterback’s attention prior to the play?
A: We had a play-call on, and it was kind of going back-and-forth on it. We just ended up calling a different play. In that moment, it’s like you want to let him know that you’re open and nobody is covering you, but you don’t want to draw too much attention. It’s a tough situation to be in. Going forward, I guess just try to get on the same page with that, and hopefully we can call up a different play next time. We’ll just make the first one work, but I just didn’t want to draw too much attention, and then it takes away from the play. I didn’t know what to do in that situation.
Q: Do you take mental notes of your performances against top-rated corners like Richard Sherman?
A: Yeah, definitely. With a guy like that, who you respect – we’ll joke around during the play, and be like, man, I thought I could’ve done this. Those conversations do go on.
Q: (QB) Eli (Manning) underthrew you on a deep ball in which you got behind two defenders. Do you have to get back on the same page with Eli in regards to the deep ball?
A: It was a tough look to run the play that we ran. It was kind of like a little – it was a go-ball, but with a stutter move, and when I went to make the move, he kind of was so close on me and I was moving so fast, I didn’t really get to stop for as long as I wanted. I’m sure Eli was expecting me to make a little bit more of a move, which I would’ve had to slow down a little more and then pick up speed. So, it’s just kind of something that can get adjusted. Something that can get fixed, but those are plays we want to connect on. Those are plays that I want to make sure I do everything right so we can hit those.
Q: Playing against two receivers like (Buccaneers WR) DeSean Jackson and (Buccaneers WR) Mike Evans, is there more of an emphasis on the deep ball and explosive plays this game?
A: I don’t know if there’s such an emphasis on deep balls, or whatever it is. I think it’s just being efficient and scoring. If it’s a deep pass, if it’s a short pass, then you take it all the way to the house, just scoring. We know they got weapons over there in Mike Evans, DeSean, all those guys. We just got to do what we got to do, and try to win these last seven games.
Q: What is it about this offense that it plays its best with some tempo towards the end of the game?
A: I think just getting in that tempo, sometimes it messes with the defense. You can’t check when we check. You can’t get set up. You can’t get a line, so you just got to play faster and just rely on your players. We make a lot of plays when we’re moving fast. Just something that we use going forward. I feel like we have been pretty efficient when we’re moving the ball fast and moving the ball, and it worked out for us last week.
Q: Is there an explanation for the array of touchdowns that have been coming your way?
A: I don’t know the answer to that. It just happens. I guess they were supposed to happen.
Q: What leads you to believe that this team can win seven straight games?
A: I don’t know what makes me not believe it. 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 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. I’m trying to win. If we play 16, I’m trying to win 16. Win the four in the playoffs, and win the Super Bowl. You never want to lose. My mentality is going to be win these last seven games, no matter who believes it or what’s said, or anything like that. That’s going to be my goal.
Q: Did anybody come up to you and criticize you for believing you guys can go undefeated the rest of the season?
A: Everybody – I think when I said it, I heard a lot of chuckles and all that stuff, but it’s only crazy until you do it. It’s just the way it is. We start with one now, we got seven left.
Q: As a receiver, do you notice when the offensive line is giving Eli more time to throw?
A: Absolutely, he’s just comfortable back there in the pocket. He can deliver the strikes. The first touchdown when we scored was him moving up in the pocket, moving back, adjusting right, setting his feet and throwing it, finding the open zone. When he’s got time to throw, he’s going to be dangerous. The O-line has just got to do a better job like they did this week at blocking for Eli, giving him time. If they can do that, it’s going to be tough to stop.
Q: How important is it to get the first home win of the season for these fans?
A: Of course, we want to give them a win at home. I don’t think we’ve done that at all, but it doesn’t matter if we’re at home, away, Germany, London – we’re trying to win. That’s going to be the goal whatever Giants fans are there. Hopefully, we get the win for them. If we’re at home, hopefully we get it for everybody. Hopefully they stay the entire game if we’re winning this time. That’s not something we can really worry about. I don’t care if there was 10 people in the stands or it’s filled up. The goal is to win.
Q: (Buccaneers DE Jason Pierre-Paul) said he’s coming to bring the house down. Do you have any response to that?
A: Tell JPP to keep it…no, I’m just playing (laughter) – keep his head on a swivel. He was like a big brother to me since I was here, since the first day I walked in this building. A guy who I watched work very hard at practice, and I tried to follow him and do what he does. Of course he’s coming. He’s got to come here. The game is in New York. We’re all waiting on him. We’re expecting him, and it will be good to see him. Hopefully, we’ll keep him off Eli, for sure.
