Eli Manning
Giants expect even more out of Beckham
Eli Manning

Giants expect even more out of Beckham

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:05 p.m. ET

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) For all Odell Beckham, Jr. has done for the Giants over the past two years, the coaching staff expects even more as the team heads into the final six-game stretch.

Beckham expects no less from himself, starting with Sunday's game against the Redskins.

With both the Eagles and Cowboys losing on Thanksgiving, Sunday's game in Washington (4-6) represents a chance for the Giants (5-5) to stretch their NFC East-leading advantage to two games. And Beckham will be expected to do his share and more.

''It's just that time of the year where everybody needs to step it up,'' Beckham said Friday as New York prepared for the Redskins after its bye-week break. ''We all need to bring our A-plus game each of these games, so I'm going to try to get better each and every day.''

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Although Beckham has caught a team-leading 63 balls for 863 yards and eight touchdowns, he admitted he has not been perfect. His failure to tuck in a fourth-quarter end-zone throw from Eli Manning was a major reason behind the one-point loss to New England in the game before the bye. He has had several other drops this season.

But he still is still regarded as one of the NFL's most electrifying receivers.

It is a question of how high his talent ceiling goes. Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo notes he has already gotten some inkling of what else the receiver can offer.

Beckham has contributed 154 catches for 2,168 yards and 20 touchdowns in 22 appearances since his rookie year.

''He's done it this week in practice,'' McAdoo said. ''It's a cycle. It's the evolution of a young player. When you're a young player, you have to make your mistakes in practice, fix them later in the week in practice, and then go out and execute in a game.

''He's a young player. He's been productive. He's working at being a pro. That's part of it.''

The Giants beat the Redskins at MetLife Stadium in Week 3 with Beckham catching seven balls for 79 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown. A win at FedEx Field would seal Tom Coughlin's team the head-to-head tiebreaker, essentially putting the Giants three games ahead of the Redskins in the division race.

But Beckham said it won't happen unless he and his teammates raise their games another level, especially in the late stages. Four of the Giants' five losses have been caused by blown fourth-quarter leads.

He said the final six games will have a different aura to them.

''It's just buzzing around us,'' Beckham said. ''We all have a good feel about it. We're all going to work for it. We know what we have in hand and we control our own destiny.''

NOTES: Coughlin said a decision has yet to be made on placing C Weston Richburg (high ankle sprain) on injured reserve and signing a second center. Richburg is listed as doubtful. Dallas Reynolds has already been chosen the starter for Sunday. The Giants do not have a third center on the roster, though they do have 6-foot-3, 305-pound Shane McDermott on the practice squad. .TE Larry Donnell will miss his third straight game after an MRI earlier this week showed a complication with his neck injury. Donnell, who has caught 29 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns, said he was perplexed by the injury. ''I've broken elbows, legs, and I knew they were broken,'' Donnell said. ''This? I don't know. It's frustrating, especially where it is right now.''. G Justin Pugh (concussion) is also out for Sunday, as is LB Mark Herzlich (quadriceps). John Jerry will start in Pugh's place. ''John's played a lot of football,'' Coughlin said. ''We've always been fortunate to be able to call on him, and here we go again.''

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AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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