Odell Beckham Jr. confronted an inanimate object much differently on Sunday than he did two weeks ago.
Two weeks after getting smacked in the face with a kicking net during a crushing loss to the Washington Redskins, the New York Giants star wide receiver made up with the piece of equipment in Sunday night’s 23-16 road loss to the Green Bay Packers.
After scoring his first touchdown of the season– an eight-yard pass from Eli Manning in the back of the end zone with 2:54 left in the game– Beckham embraced and kissed the kicking net.
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Beckham scored the touchdown by barely keeping both feet in the end zone, and this cut Green Bay’s lead to 23-16. The catch stood on replay review after the receiver jumped high for Manning’s pass and was ruled inbounds after straddling the back line of the end zone.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers finished 23 of 45 for 259 yards, and threw two touchdown passes and two interceptions. Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams each had impressive touchdown catches to help Green Bay build an 11-point halftime lead. However, the Packers offense was mired by uncharacteristic drops, and a few big plays were called back by penalties. Mason Crosby kicked three field goals, including two in the fourth quarter.
Manning was 18 of 35 for 199 yards, and Green Bay’s defense pressured him much of the night.
Beckham finished with five catches for 56 yards, and seemed much more calm, compared to the two previous weeks against Minnesota and Washington, both games during which he threw headline-making tantrums.
Green Bay’s 16-play, 75-yard drive to open the game took up the first 8:42 of the game, the team’s longest scoring drive by time on the season that ended with a touchdown. Coach Mike McCarthy threw different plays at the Giants by using different personnel combinations on the opening drive, rather than sticking with the usual three-wide receiver combination of Nelson, Randall Cobb and Adams, with Eddie Lacy in the backfield.
The Giants (2-3) will next host the Ravens on Sunday, while the Packers (3-1) will host the Dallas Cowboys, also on Sunday.
GREEN BAY, WI – OCTOBER 09: Odell Beckham Jr. #13 of the New York Giants catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix #21 of the Green Bay Packers during the second half of a game at Lambeau Field on October 9, 2016 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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